Behavior Plan

Seagull Alternative High School follows the district’s Discipline Matrix as well as the Seagull Alternative High School Behavior Support Plan. The Response to Intervention Team meets twice a month to address behavioral, attendance, and academic concerns.

GENERAL ISSUES

Teachers should follow the county and school policies regarding discipline of pupils. Teachers are to maintain control of all students working in their areas. If a problem becomes severe and is an immediate referable offense, please call the front office for security assistance. Students are not to be put outside of the classroom.

This behavior plan enables students to accept responsibility and ownership for their behavior and allows for immediacy and consistency with consequences for specific offenses and it addresses immediate referable offenses that do not require teacher interventions. Additionally, the plan addresses referable offenses that require documentation of teacher interventions.

In order to aid students in improving their behavior, referrals may made for small group counseling, anger management, peer mediation, and conflict resolution. Referrals may also be made to outside agencies through the family counselor or social worker for additional assistance.

Referral forms are accessible through Virtual Counselor for utilization whenever there is a problem. You are highly encouraged to use the Discipline Management System through Virtual Counselor to enter and send a referral to administration or the behavior specialist. Unless the behavior is immediately disruptive to class, please write the referral, making note of contact made (not attempted) with the parent concerning the infraction. Please utilize at least three interventions before submitting a referral, unless it is an immediate referable offense.

Crisis Prevention Intervention and Crisis Intervention Training are the adopted and accepted methods for use with students in crisis. These methods are to be used at all times. Physical intervention should only be used as a last resort in a crisis situation. Training for staff will be provided throughout the year and everyone is encouraged to participate.

ACCUSATIONS

Accusations made which affect or jeopardize the well-being of an individual requires an investigation. A form (see forms) should be completed and submitted to administration. Afterwards, a person will be assigned as an investigator. A conference will be held with the involved parties. Then an investigation will be conducted and a final disposition of the matter will be filed and appropriate action will be taken. All actions will be noted on the form.

APPEALS

After a referral has been acted upon, the student along with a parent’s participation or a staff member may appeal. The appeals will fall into four categories:

1.Those which dispute the facts.

2.Those which question consistency.

3.Those which question the severity of consequences.

4.Those which plead mitigating circumstances.

Appeals serve as a self-correction mechanism to ensure the correct application of rules and consequences. If necessary, appeals provide an opportunity to deal with mitigating circumstances.

APPOINTMENTS

Students are encouraged to make their appointments during early release and employee planning days. There will be times when this is not possible and students must leave school to attend an appointment

When the student returns to school after being absent for one or more days, and has a written excuse, the student is to submit documentation to the attendance clerk.

CELL PHONES AND CAMERA PHONES

If a student has a cell phone during instructional time, “it should be turned off and kept out of sight, inside a pocket, book bag, purse, etc. … And it may not be used, including text messaging, checking the time, checking messages, looking at pictures, etc. or allowed to emit any ring tone or other noise on school grounds during school hours.” Please follow the Broward County Public Schools Student Code of Conduct, The Broward County Public Schools Discipline Matrix for Secondary Students, and Seagull Alternative high School Positive Behavior Plan.

DRESS CODE

All Seagull students are expected to follow the dress code as outlined in the Broward County Public Schools’ Code of Student Conduct.

We have highlighted some parts Section III – Dress Code, which states the following:

Footwear: Bedroom slippers are not allowed.

Revealing Clothing: Revealing clothing or clothing that exposes the torso is not allowed. Examples include, but are not limited to, see-through garments, mini-shirts or mini-dresses, halters, backless, tops or dressed with spaghetti straps, tube tops or tank tops with or without over-blouses (long shirts), jackets, or shirts blouses tied at the midriff, and bare midriff outfits.

Clothing: Garments including, but not limited to, pajamas, boxer shorts, bloomers, and bustiers, which were traditionally designed as undergarments, sleepwear, or beachwear, may not be worn as outer garments.

Head Coverings: Head coverings including, but not limited to, caps and hats are not allowed unless they are necessary for safety in programs such as home economics, technology education, vocational education, and athletics or are worn for religious or medical reasons.

Dress code violations: Students will be given the option of either having a parent bring a change of clothes, utilizing clothing available from the SSW or spending the rest of the day in I.S. Students who are awaiting a change of clothing from a parent will wait in I.S until her appropriate clothing has arrived. Students may be permitted to leave campus (go home) with parent/guardian approval only. Consequences will be served the following day or next day student reports to school.

1st violation – verbal warning, violation logged, change clothing/ head covering confiscated, phone call to parent, changed back into regular clothing before end of day/return of confiscated item.

2nd violation – referral for dress code and insubordination, 1-days IS, violation logged, phone call to parent.

3rd violation – second referral for insubordination, violation logged, phone call to parent, 2 days IS.

Note: Refusal to change clothing/relinquish head covering or comply with dress code will result in a disciplinary referral (Insubordination) and 1-day of internal suspension. Administration reserves the right to modify or make additions to the consequences at any point in the violation accumulation process.

HALL PASSES

The standard hall pass is to be used, unless the teacher decides to use a class pass. Students must have a pass at all times when they are out of class. The pass should note the student’s destination. If they are in an area other than what is on the pass, the student will have violated the pass policy and should be placed on pass restriction. Hall passes, including restroom passes, will only be issued after the first 10 minutes of class and before the last 10 minutes of class. Notify the Front Office/Security if a student doesn’t return to class in a reasonable time (approximately five (5-7) minutes).

School Social Services Passes

In the event of an emergency, a student can request to see a social worker or family counselor. The teacher will contact the counselor to confirm that the counselor is available to see the student, then issue a pass. For non-emergencies, students may schedule an appointment with the family counselor or social worker. Appointments can be requested before and after school and during lunch.

Visitors

Former and current students not attending classes may visit Seagull Alternative High School for official business only (i.e. records requests, attendance verification, etc.). Visitors WILL NOT be allowed to visit other students, classrooms, the cafeteria, or campus. If a former student would like to visit a teacher, an appointment may be to see the teacher between 8:15 and 9:15 AM.

ID BADGES

Students will be issued a school, picture ID badge upon registration. The ID badge may be visible from the waist up and worn at all times while on school campus.

PHONE CALLS

Students are encouraged to make calls outside of school during their personal time. However, there are times when it is necessary to call during school hours. Students are allowed to make emergency calls from the front office or guidance. These are calls to a doctor, court officials, health agencies, jobs, or parents. PLEASE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO WAIT UNTIL CLASS IS ALMOST OVER IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. The student must have a pass from the classroom teacher when they enter front office or guidance. Classroom phones are for official school use, not for student use.

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

THREE DOCUMENTED INTERVENTIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR REFERRALS, (non immediate referral offenses). PARENT CONTACT IS A MUST AS ONE OF THE INTERVENTIONS.

Procedures for Internal Suspension

When a student commits an offense and a referral is written, the student should be made aware of their referral. A referral must be sent no later than the end of the day to administration or the behavior specialist. At no time should a student be told they are being sent to Internal Suspension. The Administration will determine the outcome of the referral according to the discipline matrix.

The referral will be discussed with the student allowing the student to give an explanation of the matter. The student needs to take ownership and responsibility for their actions. There will be times when clarification is needed and the faculty/staff person writing the referral will be contacted. A full report will be given to the parents when they are contacted. If a conference is necessary, the appropriate person will confer with the teacher before scheduling the conference. Teacher/student conferences are encouraged as a first response.

Students will not be sent back to the classroom during the period for which a referral is being written. Referrals written near the end of the period may not provide enough time for a student to have the amount of time required by the district matrix. Therefore, the student will be asked to return the next day. If the student reports to class the following day, please contact Internal Suspension for verification. Emails are posted daily in the school Sharepoint site to keep all teachers up to date on internal suspensions, external suspension, detentions, and dates and time served.

Remember we have an outstanding social service team who may counsel students who may need a time out. Internal Suspension should not be used for time outs.

When a student is absent, their time in Internal Suspension will continue until it has been completed. If additional consequences are given to a student while in Internal Suspension, the teacher will be notified via email.

Internal Suspension Security Procedures

  • Teachers are responsible for providing I.S. with meaningful work for their students which must be counted for a grade. If I.S does not receive work from the teacher and is forced to provide the work that work must still be counted for a grade.
  • When entering Internal Suspension, cell phones will be stored away from the student’s workspace.
  • Any students leaving Internal Suspension for the clinic, baby area, etc. will be required to have a security escort.
  • No students will be allowed in/out of Internal Suspension without administrative approval.

Student Reward and Recognition

Seagull Alternative High School promotes good behavior through an extensive rewards and recognition program. We believe this adds to a safe and secure environment.

  • Quarterly Incentive activities for attendance and behavior.
  • Behavior modifications (individual classroom-based incentives)
  • County-sponsored contests (certificates, ribbons etc.)
  • Academic Awards Day
  • Student of the Month
  • Caught You Being Good Rewards