Positive Reinforcement:
The emphasis at Gateway International School is on recognition for safe, positive behavior choices and experience in a variety of areas, especially behavior that exhibits good citizenship and sportsmanship. Other behavior that students are recognized for include: Student of the Month, Attendance, Honor Roll and Principal's List. In addition, each teacher positively reinforces appropriate behavior in his/her own classroom through written and verbal affirmations.
Negative Consequences:
Within each classroom, teachers set up the guidelines for classroom behavior. Teachers contact parents either by written notice, phone, or email when students are not adhering to the expectations in the classroom. It is important that teachers and parents work together to address the behavior and help children learn from the experience. More serious violations are reported to the school principal. Consequences may vary, depending on the severity of the situation and/or whether it's a first offense or a continuing problem. Generally, consequences include, but are not limited to:
- A verbal warning - Students who make mistakes in judgment will be mad aware of their mistake and asked to correct it.
- Time away from peers - This is a time to think about his/her behavior, appropriate choices, and how the problem can be solved constructively. A follow-up conference between the teacher and the student or the principal and the student is often held.
- Loss or recess - If the students' poor behavior choice continues, additional time may be taken away.
- School service - Often, the natural consequence for student misbehavior is school service. For example, students who deface school property will spend recess time of after school time performing school cleaning tasks.
- In-School Suspension - This is an alternative for sending students home for the day. The student is sent to another classroom for the day, along with his/her classroom work. The student does not get recess, nor does the student eat lunch with his/her classmates.
- Exclusion from field trips, sports teams, or events - Students who have not exhibited appropriate behavior during the time period prior to a field trip may be excluded from that trip. Students who wish to participate on sports teams must meet certain school behavior and academic expectations determined by the school.
- Off-Site Suspension - This is the removal of a student from the school campus and ongoing instruction, with the intention that such removal will change misbehavior. Parent support and at-home reinforcement is vital to the success of an off-site suspension. Also, the suspended student is not allowed to attend or participate in school activities for the duration of the suspension. The suspension is considered an unexcused absence and students cannot make up any missed work. Parents may be required to pick up their child during the school day if the child is suspended.
- Expulsion - Expulsion is the removal of a student from the supervision and control of school personnel.
Cases for Immediate Suspension:
Fighting, serious defiance or assault of a staff member, possession of a weapon, and leaving campus without permission are examples of circumstances that could lead to immediate suspension.
BULLYING POLICY
Bullying is defined as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a student or group of students that constitutes sexual harassment, hate violence or creates an intimidating or hostile educational environment, directed toward one or more students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
- Placing a reasonable pupil or pupils in fear of harm to that pupil’s or those pupils’ person or property.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on his or her physical or mental health.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantial interference with his or her academic performance.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantial interference with his or her ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by GCC.
Electronic act is the transmission by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to, a telephone, wireless telephone or other wireless communication device, computer or pager, of a communication, including but not limited to, any of the following:
- A message, text, sound, or image.
- A post on a social network Internet Web site, including but not limited to:
- Posting to or creating a burn page. A “burn page” means an Internet Web site created for the purpose of having one or more of the effects as listed in subparagraph (1) above.
- Creating a credible impersonation of another actual pupil for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed in subparagraph (1) above. “Credible impersonation” means to knowingly and without consent impersonate a pupil for the purpose of bullying the pupil and such that another pupil would reasonably believe, or has reasonably believed, that the pupil was or is the pupil who was impersonated.
- Creating a false profile for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed in subparagraph (1) above. “False profile” means a profile of a fictitious pupil or a profile using the likeness or attributes of an actual pupil other than the pupil who created the false profile.
- Notwithstanding subparagraphs (1) and (2) above, an electronic act shall not constitute pervasive conduct solely on the basis that is has been transmitted on the Internet or is currently posted on the Internet.
REPORTING
“All staff are expected to provide appropriate supervision to enforce standards of conduct and, if they observe or become aware of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, or bullying, to intervene as soon as it is safe to do so, call for assistance, and report such incidents. The GCC Board requires staff to follow the procedures in this policy for reporting alleged acts of bullying. All other members of the school community, including students, parents/guardians, volunteers, and visitors, are encouraged to report any act that may be a violation of this policy to the appropriate GCC Compliance Officer . While submission of a written report is not required, the reporting party is encouraged to use the report form available in the GCC and GCC School Main Offices. . However, oral reports shall also be considered. Reports may be made anonymously (https://report.doc-tracking.com/222724/222714), but formal disciplinary action cannot be based solely on anonymous information.
Students are expected to report all incidents of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, bullying, teasing, or other verbal or physical abuse. Any student who feels she/he is a target of such behavior should immediately contact a teacher, counselor, principal, or staff person so that she/he can get assistance in resolving the issue consistent with this policy.”
INVESTIGATION
Upon receipt of a report of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying from a student, staff member, parent, volunteer, visitor or affiliate of GCC, the GCC Compliance Officer will promptly initiate an investigation.
Confidentiality of the complaint and investigation will be kept to the extent possible, but note that the investigation will not be completely confidential. The investigation will ensure confidentiality with respect to a student’s or family’s immigration status. At the conclusion of the investigation, the GCC Compliance Officer will notify the complainant of the outcome of the investigation. However, in no case may the GCC Compliance Officer reveal confidential student information related to other students, including the type and extent of discipline issued against such students.
Complaints shall be investigated and resolved within thirty (30) school days, unless circumstances reasonably require additional time. All records related to any investigation of discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying will remain in a secure location in the Main Office of GCC.
APPEAL
Should the Complainant find the GCC Compliance Officer’s resolution unsatisfactory, he/she may file an appeal within five (5) school days of the dates of the resolution with the GCC Board Executive Committee.
CONSEQUENCES
Students or employees who engage in discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension and/or expulsion as outlined in the GCC Suspension/Expulsion Policy , and the GCC employee handbook.
Revised: 01/22/2019 * GCC POLICY AGAINST HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, DISCRIMINATION AND BULLYING