Positive Behaviour Engagement

Dear Parents and Carers

We want all children to feel and be safe at our school. Our behaviour management procedures protect the dignity of the human person and reflect our pastoral care for students. We strive to provide a safe, supportive and respectful teaching and learning environment that promotes student wellbeing.

We model the Mercy values in our interactions with one another, in our work and in our play. Our behaviour management procedures are based on strong relationships and pastoral care for our students. Appropriate behaviour is also explicitly taught in all classes.

We constantly promote positive behaviour using a variety of strategies. We are first and

foremost a community of learners. We explicitly teach children about behaviour, and do not presume that all children know, without instruction, how to behave in all situations. We strongly believe that all behaviour incidents are a chance for us to support children to develop and grow, and this has informed our response when children display negative behaviour.

We promote appropriate behaviour throughout the school day, both explicitly and indirectly through the inclusive and positive school ethos outlined in our school values and by

embedding behaviour expectations within all aspects of school life.

Our OLOM community also has a Code of Conduct. By working together in a school and family partnership, we can all help and guide children to grow and flourish as good people.

Above all, we treat each other and resolve matters with gentleness and integrity.

Our behaviour management procedures follow the Executive Directive - Student Safety, Wellbeing and Behaviour

God bless you all.

Ondine Komnick

Principal

Appropriate behaviour is explicitly taught in all classes through our Student Code of Conduct, Religious Education program, our virtues program Aussie Optimism, the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum, 123 Magic Start and Stop Behaviours and the UR Strong/Friendology program. Children are also taught strategies to regulate their emotions through our Mindfulness program.

Students receive OLOM's Student Code of Conduct booklet, which explains the Mercy values and behaviours that we live by every day. Our values are frequently discussed and reinforced at school so that children understand what is expected of them.

We have a whole school behaviour focus:

• Every three weeks we have a specific whole school behaviour/skill for focus, teaching and reinforcing.
• Behaviour is taught explicitly using examples and non-examples as modelled by staff.

As adults, we are all role models to the children. The OLOM Code of Conduct applies to staff and parents alike. We treat each other and resolve matters with gentleness and integrity. The Community Code of Conduct is in the Parent Handbook.

Our Code of Conduct promotes positive work practices and establishes expectations for behaviour for staff, students, volunteers, parents, guardians and visitors.

1. Act safely and competently.
   
2. Students’ safety and well-being is prioritised.
   
3. Follow the values of the Gospel.
   
4. Abide by laws, agreements and policies.
   
5. Respect each member of the school community.
   
6. Personal information is private and confidential.
   
7. Provide honest and accurate information about your child.
   
8. Partner with the school in educating your child.
   
9. Behave to preserve the trust of the school community.
   
10. Maintain the community’s trust and confidence in Catholic schools and the Church
    
11. Act ethically.
    
12. Students to have a voice in their education, safety and well-being.
    

Each class teacher drafts a set of classroom rules with children at the commencement of the year to ensure community ownership of these rules. Teachers consistently strive to build into their classroom behaviour management, positive strategies and procedures which support a predictable and inclusive environment.

We use 1-2-3 Magic to support children to make appropriate behaviour choices and Emotion Coaching to validate their feelings and assit them in regulationg their emotions.

At recess and lunch staff are active participants in the life of the playground and are identifiable through the yellow or orange vests and duty bags that they carry. Staff are consistently moving around the playground, inter-acting positively and supporting the social development of our students. Staff encourage appropriate behaviours and take action every time they see inappropriate behaviour to ensure that we consistently apply the rules and set high expectations of our students.

Staff will support students by encouraging them to use the UR Strong/Friendology strategies to resolve any friendship conflict.

We acknowledge and reinforce appropriate behaviour through our merit awards which are given for demonstrating a Mercy value in our school. We also provide faction tokens to students who show Mercy values in the playground and provide the winning faction with a Free Dress Day at the end of each term. Students receive Mercy value tickets for displaying Mercy values in class and a special Mercy value certificate is given to 6 students who receive the most tickets for a Mercy value in a term. These Mercy value certificate recipients are rewarded with a 'Pizza with the Principal and Priest' lunch at the end of the semester.

All children will start each term with 3 points for ‘good standing’. We have categorised behaviours that range from minor behaviour that may require a reminder, all the way through to severe behaviour that impacts the safety and wellbeing of others. Certain behaviours will attract a loss of good standing points or even a lunch time Reflection Workshop which will involve a reflection activity. If your child gets a Reflection Workshop, you will be informed.

Our behaviour management process is predicated upon teaching and modelling desired behaviour outcomes and when a misdemeanour occurs, applying a consequence and providing our students with the opportunity to reflect and grow from the experience.

• Every 5 weeks we have 'Golden Time' as a fun reward for children and staff to celebrate positive behaviour and promote wellbeing.
• Students begin with 3 points (Good Standing) and must retain Good Standing in order to participate in Golden Time.
• Students who lose all these points lose their Good Standing and as a consequence, miss out on partaking in Golden Time.
• Golden Time activities like sport, craft, art, lego, science and technology are run by staff.

There are many people here at school to help and support the children. This includes all members of our staff, as well as other children. Children can come and talk to us.

We recognise that relationships have a direct bearing on children’s capacity to succeed both

academically and emotionally. Relationships and a sense of belonging, are key to good

mental health for all.

We aim to promote a school ethos that promotes strong relationships between staff,

students and parents/carers. We support a positive school culture and climate that fosters

connection, inclusion, respect and value for all members of the school community.

We promote a non-judgemental, curious and holistic stance when trying to make sense of behaviour; ensuring opportunities for reparation, especially following exclusions.

Arguments happen, and children need to develop the skills to resolve conflicts and make amends. We teach children how to resolve conflict in friendships through our UR Strong/Friendology program.

Meanness and bullying are unacceptable and will dealt with through our Behaviour Management processes.

The school will not tolerate bullying, harassment, aggression and violence.

Bullying may take the form of spoken, written, electronic or cyber actions.

Bullying includes behaviours that may be:

• verbal like put-downs, threats
  
• physical like hitting, tripping, punching, stealing
  
• social like ignoring, hiding, ostracising
  
• psychological like threatening looks, spreading rumours, damaging possessions, stalking.

If bullying occurs we will:

• find out what happened

• find out a reason for the behaviour – what were you thinking/feeling at the time and why?

• find out who was affected by the behaviour – this could include bystanders

• find out in what ways they were affected
  
• enquire as to what needs to be done now to make things right?

A consequence will be applied according to our Tiered System of Consequences and parents notified.

Our school is committed to improving the visibility,

accessibility and responsiveness of the complaints process for our students.

If parents have an issue or concern regarding the child’s schooling:

1. Make an appointment with the classroom teacher.
2. If you are not happy with the outcome of the meeting with the teacher, notify the teacher and make an appointment to see the Assistant Principal.
3. If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, make an appointment to see the Principal.

• Recognition that relationships are central to our sense of belonging and to our emotional well-being.
• Recognition that high expectations of behaviour and boundaries keep children safe.
  

• Recognition that a child’s behaviour is a form of communication and an indicator of a child’s emotional state.
• Recognition that being ‘fair’ is not about everyone getting the same (equality) but about everyone getting what they need (equity).
• Recognition that children’s needs are individual and the support we provide should be personalised.
• Recognition that children have very different life experiences and that adverse childhood experiences may impact negatively upon an individual child’s ability to regulate their behaviours and operate as part of the school community.
• Recognition that a dysregulated child should have access to immediate support from an emotionally available adult.
• Recognition that co-regulation leads to self-regulation.
  
• Recognition that we need to enable children to develop self-regulatory behaviours, to manage stress, to make positive connections with peers and adults in school.
• Recognition that we should aim to anticipate and prevent a child’s dysregulation where possible.
• Recognition that behaviour systems and practices should not cause or exacerbate feelings of shame.
• Recognition that children need support in understanding the behavioural and emotional needs of other students.

Email: admin@olom.wa.edu.au
Website: http://www.olom.wa.edu.au
Location: 55 Hudson Avenue, Girrawheen WA 6064, Australia
Phone: (08) 9207 7677
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourladyofmercygirrawheen/