Discipline Office

Student Services Office

Our dean is Mr. Steven Roberts.

Behavior at Ward-Highlands Elementary is a vital part of the academic process. More often than not our children model positive behaviors which means they are on task for the majority of the school day. However, there are times when negative behaviors disrupt the whole academic process. When this happens, learning stops completely for one or more students and/or the teacher cannot effectively carry out his/her responsibilities.

Through the R. L. Ward Highlands Rights and Responsibilities and our Character Education Life-skill Traits*, our school has and will continue to maintain positive behavior modeled by our students on a daily basis. The administration, faculty, staff and you, the parents, work together as a team to implement the Traits, Responsibilities and Rights. These life-skills are an important part to each one of us, whether we are a child or an adult.

Character Education Traits: Pride, Respect, Honesty, Gratitude, Generosity, Commitment, Kindness, Patience, Peace, and Friendship

Rights and Responsibilities

  • The right to live safely
  • The right to learn
  • The responsibility to learn
  • The responsibility to be honest
  • The responsibility to use time wisely

These traits, responsibilities and rights have had a positive affect on our students’ behavior and we believe they are attainable for all students. This is why appropriate incentives and consequences have been implemented to encourage positive behavior. Our students benefit from a variety of incentives such as verbal praises from the teachers and our administration department, “Fun” Fridays where the teachers plan fun academic activities during the day, extra time on the computers, tangible incentives from the treasure boxes, notes home, certificates from local businesses, etc. Students receive consequences only when they choose not to model the traits, responsibilities and rights. 

There are also a variety of consequences, such as student time out, verbal reprimands, and disciplinary referrals as a last resort. The disciplinary referrals will include one or more the following: parent contact, Positive Alternative School Suspension (PASS), and/or Out of School Suspension (OSS).

Our goal is to help our students maintain and/or improve their positive behavior throughout the school year. If and whenever a student needs assistance in modeling positive behavior and/or needs guidance, we will be here to work with you to support him/her. If you have any concerns, please contact Mr. Roberts to make an appointment to meet with you. 

Cafeteria Conduct

We believe the following guidelines will help:

  1. Raise your hand if you need something.
  2. Talk softly to others at your table.
  3. Stop talking if and when the lights are turned off.
  4. Every child needs to keep his/her hands, feet, and all objects (i.e. food, drinks, etc. to him/herself.
  5. Follow dismissal directions.
  6. Always obey the lunchroom assistants.
  7. For health reasons, food may not be shared.
  8. Students who bring lunch from home are encouraged to bring a nutritious and filling meal.
  9. Our cafeteria does not provide candy or carbonated drinks for students and parents are asked not to include these items in their child’s lunchbox.
  10. Please pay for lunches, extra milk, or juice in the morning before classes begin. No money is accepted in the lunch line.

Interventions:

The following interventions will be used to correct student behavior:

  1. Verbal correction
  2. Private conference with student
  3. Change seat
  4. Behavior contract
  5. Parent contact
  6. Refer to guidance
  7. Time out
  8. Conference with Dean

NOTE: Teachers are not limited to nor required to use all steps before writing a discipline referral.

Disciplinary Referral

A student’s failure to respond to the attempts by the teacher and parents to change or correct misconduct will result in a discipline referral being written and the student sent to the Dean’s office. Ward-Highlands Elementary will follow the Marion County Code of Student Conduct for Elementary Schools when a child is sent to the office for disciplinary reasons.

No Tolerance Behaviors

  1. Fighting
  2. Blatant disrespect
  3. Drugs, bullying, weapons, alcohol
  4. Willful disobedience/defiance