Mrs. Vasica’s First Grade Behavior Policy
I am very excited to teach First Grade again this year. There will be a lot of new and interesting concepts and skills your child will be learning. To be able to accomplish this, it will require that students do their best, including their behavior. Together, the students and I will discuss, make, and vote on our classroom rules. This way the students will be given the opportunity to decide on what rules our classroom needs to accomplish all our goals for this exciting school year. After the rules are voted on, the following behavior policy will be utilized to help remind students of the classroom rules they enacted and must follow. There will be both rewards if the rules are followed and consequences if they are not followed.
Big Hollow implements the PBIS system school-wide. PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. The goal of PBIS is to be proactive in preventing and reducing challenging behaviors and promoting a positive learning environment. PBIS uses strategies such as introducing, modeling, teaching, and supporting positive behavioral expectations school-wide and then reinforcing and rewarding students for these positive behaviors. At Big Hollow, our expectation is that students demonstrate “STAR” behavior:
S= Safety
T= Take Responsibility
A= (Positive) Attitude
R=Respect
Throughout the year we will be educating students about why these behaviors are important and what they look like. Just like academics, appropriate behavior needs to be taught and practiced. When expected behavior is demonstrated, students earn “STAR Bucks” to reinforce that behavior. Students can save up their Star Bucks and redeem them for classroom and school-wide rewards. When misbehavior occurs, the goal is to educate. We will learn and practice appropriate behavior.
If a student follows the rules and makes good choices he/she will receive the following rewards.
Students who demonstrate "STAR behavior" all week long will be able to participate in "Fun Friday" activities. Students who demonstrated inappropriate behavior during the week and a note had to be sent home or were sent to the office to discuss this behavior with the assistant principal or principal will not be able to participate in “Fun Friday” activities.
EXTRA POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS IN OUR CLASSROOM
The Golden STAR Buck If your child goes above and beyond with following behavioral expectations, he/she may earn a Golden Star Buck ticket. Golden Star Bucks are equal to ten regular Star Bucks! Your child will also receive a positive note home to tell you about it.
Whole Class Positive Behavior Plan
In conjunction with an individual classroom behavior plan, our class also has a program used to reinforce positive and proper behavior as a whole class. It is very important that children this age begin to realize they are part of a group or community and their actions can affect others. There is a small sand pail on my desk that the students will fill with seashells. When the class as a whole does something well, like transitions from one task to another, or is complimented by another teacher for good behavior in the halls, or does a great job at lunch/recess or a “special”; a seashell will be placed in the pail. Once the bucket is filled, the class will decide on a reward they would like to receive. Some options may be a class movie, extra recess, free time, etc. These choices will be discussed and voted on as a whole class. However, if they do not behave well as a whole class, a shell may be taken out of the sand pail. I am looking forward to watching the class work together to earn their reward.
I am very excited to teach First Grade again this year. There will be a lot of new and interesting concepts and skills your child will be learning. To be able to accomplish this, it will require that students do their best, including their behavior. Together, the students and I will discuss, make, and vote on our classroom rules. This way the students will be given the opportunity to decide on what rules our classroom needs to accomplish all our goals for this exciting school year. After the rules are voted on, the following behavior policy will be utilized to help remind students of the classroom rules they enacted and must follow. There will be both rewards if the rules are followed and consequences if they are not followed.
Big Hollow implements the PBIS system school-wide. PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. The goal of PBIS is to be proactive in preventing and reducing challenging behaviors and promoting a positive learning environment. PBIS uses strategies such as introducing, modeling, teaching, and supporting positive behavioral expectations school-wide and then reinforcing and rewarding students for these positive behaviors. At Big Hollow, our expectation is that students demonstrate “STAR” behavior:
S= Safety
T= Take Responsibility
A= (Positive) Attitude
R=Respect
Throughout the year we will be educating students about why these behaviors are important and what they look like. Just like academics, appropriate behavior needs to be taught and practiced. When expected behavior is demonstrated, students earn “STAR Bucks” to reinforce that behavior. Students can save up their Star Bucks and redeem them for classroom and school-wide rewards. When misbehavior occurs, the goal is to educate. We will learn and practice appropriate behavior.
If a student follows the rules and makes good choices he/she will receive the following rewards.
Students who demonstrate "STAR behavior" all week long will be able to participate in "Fun Friday" activities. Students who demonstrated inappropriate behavior during the week and a note had to be sent home or were sent to the office to discuss this behavior with the assistant principal or principal will not be able to participate in “Fun Friday” activities.
EXTRA POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS IN OUR CLASSROOM
The Golden STAR Buck If your child goes above and beyond with following behavioral expectations, he/she may earn a Golden Star Buck ticket. Golden Star Bucks are equal to ten regular Star Bucks! Your child will also receive a positive note home to tell you about it.
Whole Class Positive Behavior Plan
In conjunction with an individual classroom behavior plan, our class also has a program used to reinforce positive and proper behavior as a whole class. It is very important that children this age begin to realize they are part of a group or community and their actions can affect others. There is a small sand pail on my desk that the students will fill with seashells. When the class as a whole does something well, like transitions from one task to another, or is complimented by another teacher for good behavior in the halls, or does a great job at lunch/recess or a “special”; a seashell will be placed in the pail. Once the bucket is filled, the class will decide on a reward they would like to receive. Some options may be a class movie, extra recess, free time, etc. These choices will be discussed and voted on as a whole class. However, if they do not behave well as a whole class, a shell may be taken out of the sand pail. I am looking forward to watching the class work together to earn their reward.