Dear Parents/Guardians,

The Northeast staff believes that schools can only be successful when they help children to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. In order for this to happen, it is important that we establish a safe environment that allows students to grow. It is our goal to create an atmosphere for learning by setting clear expectations and directly teaching students about our expectations. This is our eighth year using the Northeast behavior support system and it has helped us to create a happier, safer environment for all of our students.

Our plan is based on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). We have a PBIS team which meets monthly to look at our behavior data, and when necessary adjust our system so that it best meets the needs of our students. The system is a work in progress and will continue to be altered as the need arises. Our system has nine components that may be familiar to you if you have had a student at Northeast during the past several years:

· Paws’ Laws---a booklet which describes the Northeast system and all the components we utilize

· Student Success Guide-a booklet that is used to review expectations and proper behavior

· Cool Tools—lesson plans used to teach students the behavioral expectations

· Paw Slips----the slips used in our reward system

· Office Discipline Referral Forms (ODR)-sent home if your child earns a detention

· Behavior Matrix-chart that indicates expected behavior in designated areas

· Minor Infractions-if a student displays an inappropriate behavior, the teacher will assign a tally mark on the class infraction chart---three minor infractions during a week will result in the student receiving a detention

· Automatic Detention/Major Infraction-if a student harms another person. This harm could be physical or emotional, and directed at a student or adult. In these, and with other serious behavioral incidents, an automatic detention will be assigned, and the parent/guardian will receive a phone call to be notified of the incident

· School-wide Celebrations-an activity that occurs when the students reach the Northeast behavioral goal

This booklet is a brief description of the system we are using. We urge you to read through this booklet with your child(ren) and to place it in a convenient spot where your family can refer to it often. Since we truly believe in this process we encourage you to try this same approach at home when teaching your child(ren) a behavior that you would expect from him/her.

We are looking forward to another “pawsitively” awesome school year!

Sincerely,

The Northeast Staff