High Behavioral Expectations

In addition to high expectations for ourselves, we hold high expectations for behavior. These expectations begin with the belief that all students can behave properly in an academic environment. We cannot operate from a standpoint that a student does not want to learn or is unable to carry themselves in a way that does not disrupt the learning environment or limit their peers from obtaining the high-quality education they all deserve.

High expectations for student behavior don’t end at 2:30 pm or at the front door upon leaving school for the day. If we are going to truly build character, we are obligated to decrease the disconnect between “in-school” and “out-of-school” behavior. As a community, if we see or hear of things happening outside of school that are examples of poor decision-making or character, we owe it to our students to hold them accountable for their behavior and have them examine their choices.

For students to thrive, they need to feel safe and have a clear understanding that they belong at Liberty Grove Schools, and with that comes pride in themselves as individual students. Liberty Grove expects that no student should ever be disrespected by a fellow student or staff member. We hold students accountable for showing respect and have firm consequences for students who choose to disrespect themselves, their peers, the staff, or the school. We are obligated to sweat the small stuff. Teachers should strive to create classrooms in which all students feel valued and like they belong.

Sustaining High Expectations

It is tempting to lower expectations as the school year begins. One will notice that there are challenges in many school settings with behavior expectations. It is because these challenges exist, not in spite of them, that we do this work to make lasting change specifically in traditionally underserved communities. Lowering expectations for students is the same as telling them we expect less than the best for them. It is equivalent to saying that we are willing to uphold the inequity that may exist for them outside of the school. It is imperative that we continually remind ourselves, our colleagues, and our community partners to hold only the highest expectations for students and ourselves and to neither make nor accept, excuses. We are here to work toward removing labels.

The accompanying ten-point plan for teachers is located in the details of how the school will establish, implement, sustain and progress monitor a culture that allows for the entire Liberty Grove Schools Community to thrive culturally and academically ensuring success for all students and staff.

Student  Investment

Structures and systems are much more effective if students understand WHY they are valuable and WHY they belong at Liberty Grove. This is why the Social and Emotional Learning component is so important to us. We must explicitly and implicitly teach students to work hard toward academic goals, understanding that hard work is the only road to true success. Getting students to buy into the fact that our system works (and it can work for them) is essential to the future success of the academic program and our students and aligned with the vision of Liberty Grove, which is to raise academic expectations, build community, and spark innovation while creating opportunity. To convince our students to work relentlessly, we have to:

Vigilantly hold onto high expectations. This means we must truly believe in the ability of each student to succeed and forget about excuses concerning those labels why a student is performing poorly. If we expect our students not to be able to do the work or to succeed for any reason, they will not. If we expect, truly expect, that our students will be able to do the work and succeed in our mission, then they can. We can neither accept nor make excuses. This will require patience.

• Explicitly teach our students our high expectations.
• Get to know our students and use our knowledge of their culture and individual characteristics to inform our teaching practices.
• Empower and value our students and their voice; give them choices and options.
• Let students know we listen to them. Solicit their feedback and curricular interests through an internally created survey. Be real with young people. Students are aware of and respect when adults are authentic with them.
• Seek to understand student motivation and innovation and use that understanding to get students involved in their education.
• Convey the value, intrigue, and importance of our curricula and of our school.

Family Investment through Thoughtful Outreach

We also have to work with families – they are our greatest resource. When schools and families are aligned, students benefit. Most tensions between schools and families come from a lack of communication on the part of the school and/or a lack of buy-in from families. Our approach at Liberty Grove to family investment is centered around Thoughtful-Outreach. We believe that the in-order to have true family investment it is paramount to provide opportunities for families to engage with one another as well as with the school.

Our approach, Thoughtful Outreach, is a Liberty Grove culture that removes those barriers that prevent families from becoming part of their child’s school community and where the standard is to:

1. Provide regular communication (phone calls, text messages, emails, notes of encouragement, the monthly and weekly newsletter, etc.) to students and their families.
2. Forge authentic relationships with families through small, intament offerings for family engagement. The list of offerings is both academic and nonacademic and includes:
   • Family lead open workshops for students and for other families separately
   • Family Sports Nights
   • Family Board Game Nights
   • Establish a family center located in the school building for parents to utilize
   • Family University/FamU – opportunities for families to participate in learning activities, cooking, financial literacy, resume writing, painting, etc.
   • “How do I teach my child that” workshops (Where families are exposed and learn the same grade level content as their children)
3. Conduct home visits when possible and appropriate.
4. Share student progress in unique ways: mobile phone applications; ParentSaquare
5. https://www.powerschool.com; Remind App https://www.remind.com/ :
6. Students and Families will also be asked to complete a Family Climate Survey 2 times a year (Beginning, Middle and End of the school year) developed in collaboration with YouthTruth Student and Parent Survey; panorama.com

Proactively Planning to Avoid Actions by Students that are not aligned with the expectations of Liberty Grove

Classroom management is vital to a culture of achievement in each classroom. If we proactively plan to avoid misbehavior, there will be fewer incidents that require discipline. When, as adults, we purposefully employ proactive strategies with students, we increase students’ trust in us, while simultaneously focusing on the purpose of our institution: to educate all of our students. The more we can prevent incidents of misbehavior from occurring, the less we have to worry about addressing these incidents and administering consequences. In the event of an infraction, in accordance with Indiana Code IC 20-24-5-5, we will provide a structured and detailed Code of Conduct Plan to students and families at various touch points throughout the school year. Families will receive their first copy of our plan during scheduled Open Houses or at enrollment events. During the school year, we will refer families and students to specific sections of the Plan on our school website. The Plan will be available in various native languages and dialects as well as in English.

Discipline Policy

In accordance with Indiana Code IC 20-24-5.5, this policy is designed to address conduct that might reasonably lead the school to forecast substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities, undermine the school’s basic educational mission or interfere with the rights of others. The following are details regarding when the policy applies, disciplinary action that may be taken for violating the policy, a list of infractions and other school policies that parents must review with their children.

Jurisdiction

This School Discipline and Code of Conduct are in adherence to IC 20-24-5.5. The provisions of this Code of Conduct purport to control, regulate or establish standards for actions, behavior, or activities of students at Liberty Grove. Provisions are enforceable by school authorities during regularly scheduled school hours, as well as other times and places, including, but not limited to the following:

• When the student is on school grounds
• When the student is on or off school grounds participating in or attending any school function or activity, including, but limited to, extended learning, extracurricular activities, field trips, or class trips sponsored by Liberty Grove Schools.
• While the student is away from school grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management, and welfare of other students (this specifically includes, but is not limited to, bullying and cyberbullying)
• When students are off school grounds while wearing the school uniform and traveling on transportation provided by Indianapolis Public School.

Alternate Instruction

For students who receive out-of-school suspensions, arrangements will be made with Liberty Grove and each individual family for picking up work or access to the online curriculum platforms provided by Liberty Grove for making up missed assignments and classroom instructional support. Students who are suspended during a period of state assessments administration will be allowed to take the state assessment and will be required to be picked up after the daily completion of the assessment. Additionally, Liberty Grove complies with the laws and regulations pertaining to special education students receiving appropriate due process and services.

Disciplinary Actions

School Administrators shall foster positive school climates that engage all students in learning and are encouraged them to utilize positive behavioral interventions. Students who violate the discipline policy may be subject to one or more of the following documented actions at the discretion of the school administration and Board of Directors. Disciplinary actions and Restorative Strategies can include but are not limited to the following.

• Teacher/Student Conference
• Parent Call
• Reflective Assignments
• Additional Instructional Time
• Attendance Intervention Plan
• Behavior Intervention Plan
• Mediation
• Counseling
• Restorative Circle/Practices
• Restitution
• ACT Referral
• Loss of Privileges
• Confiscation of Inappropriate Items
• Community Service
• Other as Assigned by the School Leader
• Morning or Afternoon School Detention
• Emergency Removal or Expulsion

Guidance

Level 1: Classroom support and referral to Student Support Team

The following interventions are examples but not an exhaustive list of supports that may be appropriate when the behavior is a minor infraction, the student has had no prior incidents, and/or interventions have not been put in place.

• Teacher/Student Conference
• Parent Call
• Reflective Assignments
• Additional Instructional Time

Level 2: Intensive student staff support team interventions and referral to appropriate governmental or community-based agencies for additional support. The following interventions are examples but not an exhaustive list of supports that may be appropriate when the behavior has continued to influence the learning experience of the student and others negatively.

• Attendance Intervention Plan
• Behavior Intervention Plan
• Mediation
• Counseling
• Restorative practices/circles
• Referral to Community-Based Mental Health Agency
• Referral to CFSA or Court Social Services regarding attendance

Level 3: In-school suspension and continued student staff support team intervention (No more than 3 consecutive days) The following interventions are examples but not an exhaustive list of support that may be behavior on the school community and/or when documented interventions and supports have been put in place but the behavior is escalating.

• Loss of Privileges
• Confiscation of Inappropriate Items
• Community Service

Level 4: Out-of-school suspension and continued student staff support time intervention or (expulsion) (5 consecutive days or less) May be appropriate when a student attempts or willfully causes or threatens to cause bodily injury to another student who requires more than minor medical attention or emotional distress that requires more than minor professional treatment or counseling.