Adams Family Updates

Families,

Here are some of the steps that we have put in place at Adams to ensure that students are welcome and feel safe at school.

The first step begins with staff training and awareness. Over the last several years all staff have had training on PBIS. This includes topics like; social emotional skills, supporting students in trauma, and restorative practices.

Why do we do this?

• It is part of helping students be ready to learn. It is hard for upset students to focus on academics.

How will this look for my student?

1. Each student does an SEL check-in each day. Students record how they are feeling and can make comments directly to the teacher. Students who appear at risk are followed up with that same day, typically within the first hour of school.

2. Students that have been stressed multiple days in a row, typically between 3 & 5 days, have a staff member follow up with them. * Usually, these students just need some time to share something that has been bothering them and being heard gets them to a better place.

3. In addition to all this, all staff across the building have repeatedly taught students the 'Adams Way' Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible. The commonality of expectations across the school helps students learn routines. That helps them get ready to learn.

4. When students do make poor choices, and they will, we have a specific way we intervene. We use a process called restorative questions. These questions ask the students why they made that choice, who has been affected, and what they can do to correct a bad decision. Our efforts are focused on teaching the child to be aware and make better choices, while avoiding guilt and shame being placed on the student. Many students do not enjoy this process because they are expected to think about the outcomes of their decisions.

5. Consequences: Students still can earn consequences for poor decisions. Those could be anything from a talk with the principal, a phone call home, loss of recess, and in rare cases suspension. We work to keep your children in school and learning, so suspension is a last resort.

What if my child is having a hard time with another student?

1. Please make sure they report it to an adult in the school.

2. Depending on the severity of the situation adults will intervene in different ways.

• Classmates who are arguing with each other , may just be asked to play separately while they diffuse.

• Other recess behaviors may mean a student has to spend time on the 'wall' and then work through our restorative questions.

• More severe cases are dealt with by counselors and administrators, helping students find the root cause of a choice. Then finding a resolution.

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Thank you and we appreciate your support.

Our purpose at Adams is to empower and motivate each student with the social and academic skills needed to achieve at grade level and beyond, while working in partnership with our Wapato families and community.

Nuestro propósito en Adams es capacitar y motivar a cada estudiante con las habilidades sociales y académicas necesarias para alcanzar al nivel del grado y más allá, mientras trabaja en asociación con nuestras familias y comunidad de Wapato.