Faith Elementary and Middle School

STUDENT DISCIPLINE

DEFINITION

For our purposes, Discipline is measures that one may take to correct student misbehavior, or to establish acceptable patterns of conduct. Discipline may be verbal, an assignment, denial of a privilege, or withholding of some benefit to the student, that does not interfere with or prevent the progression of the student's education.

PURPOSE OF DISCIPLINE

1. To arrest the student's attention. To advise, or remind the child that the attitude or action or the omission of some expected action needs to be changed, stopped, or in the case of something omitted, a change is expected.

2. Develop, maintain, or restore order and positive interaction.

3. Promote an environment that is conducive to maximum positive learning.

4. As a last resort or option, to administer Discipline to match offenses to the extent that the student may know how offensive his or her misconduct is, or how harmful his or her actions may have been to someone else.

5. Inform or remind the student that it is beneficial to self and to others when the Golden Rule of the Bible as recorded in Matthew 7:12, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

PHYSICAL DISCIPLINE

Physical discipline may be administered by the student's parent or legal guardian in the presence of a member of staff. Such physical discipline should be limited to spanking. It is preferred that spanking be administered to the student's buttocks only. The respect of students is gained through training, example, and other acceptable measures , but not through harshness, undue repetition, or threats. Even when physical discipline is used by a parent, care should be taken to inform the student prior to the spanking, and to pray with and give appropriate reassurances of love and acceptance of the student afterwards.

Time out, or removing a student from the active classroom environment may be used as an acceptable disciplinary or corrective measure for students. No student should be removed from the classroom setting for more time than is required to accomplish the student's change of demeanor, and his or her sincere expressed resolve to return to the classroom or class activity with a sense of cooperation, obedience, and intent to be a good class citizen.

Parents or guardians may be called as a last measure to come and remove the student from school for the day. The school realizes that a departure from these guidelines may leave the school open to ridicule as abusive, confusion to the student, poor relations with parents, or worse. Prohibited forms of physical contacts between employees or volunteers in our program and students include: slapping, punches, pinching, twisting of body parts, and shoving. Exception will made when some measure of force may be necessary to restore peace, safety, and calm, such for example, as in the case of removing students from situations where they are threatening or in the process of causing physical harm to another person, or damaging school or personal property.

ACCEPTANCE OF PARENT'S OPINIONS ON THE DISCIPLINE OF THEIR CHILD

The position of our school in regard to differing views of parents on acceptable discipline of their child, is to respect the parent and not attempt to lecture them on the merits or pitfalls of their stance. In the same vane, the school will be respectfully insistent in it's position maintaining a high standard of student conduct and demeanor. Realizing that parents who have strong differing views on student discipline will seek out other educational institutions, the objective of the school will be to encourage parents to seek out a school whose policies most closely approximate their own.

Each parent is urged to understand that the school may not have time or interest in repeatedly having to urge, cajole, or solicit student obedience and cooperation as some parents may have the time and inclination of doing in dealing with a child’s pouting and uncooperative attitudes within their home setting. It is important that the parent be interested in and supportive of the school's interests and actions to accomplish the socialization of the student as soon as possible, to the end that the student may be an important contributing member of the classroom and school society. The school is not interested in having students whose parents refuse to accept the discipline policies of the school as set forth in the above statements and explanations.

STUDENTS TO RESPOND TO TEACHERS USE OF VOICE USE IN MAINTAINING CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE IN THE CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL

Each employee or volunteer working with students is urged to make conscious efforts to use his or her voice to the glory of God. We must keep in mind that the tongue and the way we use it can be a graceful or harmful instrument.

The spirit of the Lord Jesus should inform our speech in dealing with others (including children). The administration expects each employee to be sure that his or her speech with students follow the guidelines listed below.

1. Be professional.

2. Be courteous.

3. Be kind.

4. Be respectful.

5. Be the appropriate volume to meet the situation in an acceptable manner.

6. Be truthful and definite. Do not threaten students that you are  going to do something you know you cannot or should not or will not do.

7. Be healing and positive.

8. Do not make negative remarks or inferences about parents or other students.

9. Do not argue with students. You are an adult to be respected by students.

10. Do not allow students to argue with you or with others.

11. Avoid being too familiar with students.

12. Do not allow students to be unduly familiar with you.

13. Consider that we have to behave differently and better in a Christian school than we would somewhere else.

14. Remember the Holy Spirit is present in our gatherings on a daily and hourly basis. We do not want to grieve or offend Him by our choice of words or tone of voice.

15. Our goal is to teach our students refinement. We do not want to present an incorrect model or example to them by engaging in inappropriate speech usage ourselves.

16. Remember that children mimic you and talk about what they have seen and heard when they get home.

17. Be sure to handle each child just the same as you would if his or her parents were right with you.

18. Remember that parents often take any perceived attack or perceived abuse of their child(ren) as a

A personal effrontery or personal attack.

19. Make your speech usage including voice volume and tone, an instrument of salvation to the children and others who hear you.

20. Follow the Golden Rule in speech, deportment, and attitude.

21. An employee or volunteer does not impress administration, other co-workers, students, parents, or visitors by yelling, talking to students in an agitated, demeaning, or threatening manner. This type of speech is not professional and is strictly forbidden by staff.

22. Mean what you say to students. Do not repeat yourself over and over. They will come to expect this, and will not cooperate with you until you have begged them and humiliated yourself, while lowering school standards.

ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES IN OUR RELATING TO CHILDREN

1. To educate and train in important academic and life skills and values that will help the child throughout life.

2. To elevate the student's style and quality of living.

3. To make the principles of Jesus lovely so that students will want to be like Jesus.

4. To relate so that students may desire to want to be a professional when they grow up.

Faith Elementary and Middle School

Student Discipline

Page 3 of 3

GUIDING SCRIPTURAL TEXTS

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of

silver." - Proverbs 25:11 NIV.

"The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to

himself disgraces his mother. - Proverbs 29:15 NIV.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is

old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

Prepared by David L. Jones, Administrator

Revised on September 14, 2003

Issued to Staff on September 15, 2003, and September 22, 2003

Issued to Parents on September 22, 2003