|
Safe & Caring Schools
Initiative
The Department of Education is
a partner in the Violence Prevention Initiative
of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In support of this
initiative, the Student Support Services Division of the Department of
Education has established a Safe and Caring Schools Initiative to promote
safe and caring learning environments and to be pro-active/preventative in
addressing violence issues.
Oxycontin
Information
Creating A Positive School Climate
A positive school climate exists in a
school when there is collaboration, high expectations, mutual trust,
caring, and support for all individuals. Having a positive school climate
influences the effectiveness of a school. Students in a school with a
positive school climate are more likely to attend regularly, cooperate
fully, contribute more frequently and achieve better than students from a
school with a less desirable school climate. Effective schools create and
maintain peaceful environments that are conducive to learning. Schools
need to be inviting to students, teachers and parents. Students need
opportunities to enhance self-esteem and develop respect for themselves
and others. Teachers need recognition and support for their contributions
to the students and the school program and parents need to be welcomed
through meaningful involvement as partners in the schooling process.
Building a safe, respectful, caring and positive learning environment
has to be the foundation of any provincial, district or school policy.
Creating a positive school climate involves developing a school community
where all members share a set of essential values, participate in
decision-making, and support a common purpose or aim. It encompasses the
way things are done and is a reflection of the values, beliefs, and shared
understanding of school personnel, students, parents, and others involved
in the school community. The establishment and maintenance of a positive
school environment requires ongoing attention and effort from all among
the school community.
Teachers and students need to function in an environment which is
conducive to learning, and parents need to feel confident that their
children are experiencing such an environment. As school communities work
to achieve a positive school climate significant benefits will be afforded
to all.
Positive school climates are enhanced when the following exist:
- A healthy, safe and well ordered
learning environment.
- A positive school attitude and high
morale.
- A clear school mission which promotes student achievement.
- Well established expectations for success.
- Clear and effective communications of school expectations.
- Demonstrated effective instructional leadership.
- Consistently delivered quality classroom instruction.
- Teamwork and shared responsibilities.
- Balanced interaction between students and teachers.
- Opportunities for community involvement and parents are included
as partners.
- Encouragement of risk-taking, decision-making, and
leadership
growth.
-
The acknowledgement of mistakes as part of learning.
- Clearly communicated expectations and
consequences for student behaviour which are consistently enforced
and fairly applied.
Return to Index
Resources available from Student Support Services,
Department of
Education
- Policy, Guidelines and Resource Guide on
Discipline, Violence and Safe Schools Teams (1996, Revised 2001)
outlines that discipline is essential to foster positive, safe
educational environments where teaching and learning can take place.
The eleven school boards in Newfoundland and Labrador base their
discipline policy on the Department of Education’s policy which
articulates the roles and responsibilities of the school community.
Then, each school within each school district bases its school
discipline policy on its school board’s policy.
-
Student Support Services Policy Manual (Draft) outlines the minimum
requirements for the organization, management, development and
delivery of programs and services for students with exceptionalities.
(Available in print version at this time. Call : 729 - 3023)
- Classroom Perspectives: Teachers Make A Difference (1992) contains
many practical strategies/intervention techniques for classroom
management, discipline, etc.
- Balancing Students’ Rights and Responsibilities (K-12) consists of
four separate guides with programming modules that integrate into the
provincial curriculum.
-
Behaviour Challenges: A Supportive Shared Approach (1997, Revised
2002) identifies a progressive approach to managing behaviour in
school settings. It discusses school wide discipline, classroom
management strategies, problem solving and support needed for students
with significant behavioural challenges, and individualized
programming for students with emotional/behavioural disorders.
- What do you think? A Youth Peer Information Package on Violence was
developed to help young people educate themselves and their peers
about violence. It is a youth information package that: helps young
people examine the values, beliefs and attitudes that support violence
in our society; provides information about different forms of violence;
and introduces publications and organizations that can further inform
youth about violence.
- Youth Violence Project Resource Guide (1995) was compiled by the
Burnaby, British Columbia School District and is reprinted with
permission. It presents a comprehensive listing of printed and
audio-visual resources dealing with youth violence, discipline, and
related developmental, cognitive, and preventative issues.
Return to Index
Related
Web Sites
Return to Index |
