Overview
Positive Behavior at Ridgeview
PBIS Students are Responsible, Organized, have a Positive Attitude and are Respectful.
Ridgeview Charter Middle School is one of many schools using a proven new approach to discipline in our schools. This "positive behavior intervention and support" or PBIS system focuses not on the discipline of poor behavior, although that is certainly a component, but rather focuses on supporting and rewarding the positive behaviors that the vast majority of our students do daily. So much attention is traditionally focused on the students who are not behaving, but this system trains teachers to notice and reward those students that are doing what is right. This attention shift will often redirect problem behaviors, since problem behaviors are often attention-seeking.
Ridgeview is focused on four behaviors that we would like to see.
- Students will be responsible for their actions and choices.
- Students will be organized.
- Students will have a positive attitude
- Students will be respectful to teachers, others, and themselves.
Here is a chart of school-wide norms that we use to help students understand each target behavior. We have these for locations across our campus such as the hallway, restrooms, the media center, the cafeteria, and classrooms.
How does PBIS work?
Through the use of R.O.A.R points, students are rewarded by teachers and staff for demonstrating desired behaviors. Whether it is a case of "general kindness" by helping others or simply paying attention/responding appropriately in class, a wide variety of positive behaviors are monitored and rewarded. Students can then us the R.O.A.R points earned to purchase tangible items, attend events, and attain rewards from the likes of either our PBIS school-wide store "The Panther's Den" or an individual teacher. Some of the available items for purchase are school supplies, jeans passes, snacks and treats, spirit-wear, and more.
What if we have to discipline?
Discipline is a necessity in every school setting. While PBIS is focused on positive behaviors in an attempt to deter infractions from occurring, Ridgeview still needs a disciplinary procedure in place. Each student agenda has a chart on the back page, which serves to remind students and teachers of the discipline process we use when the need arises.
While the classroom discipline cycle (see below) is designed to address problematic or disruptive behaviors at the lowest level possible, at times serious actions or repetitive misbehavior (i.e. verbal/physical threats, blatant disrespect, fighting, etc.) necessitate the need for administrative intervention. Please refer to the Fulton County Student Code of Conduct/Discipline Handbook (see links on the left side of this page) to learn more about the administrative discipline cycle used at Ridgeview.
RCMS CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE CYCLE
You are expected to BE RESPECTFUL, BE RESPONSIBLE, BE SAFE at all times.
CLASSROOM DISRUPTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REMINDER
3 REMINDERS = TIME OUT
3 TIME OUTS = Team Consequence and Conference with your teachers
4 TIME OUTS = Parent Conference with your Teachers/Administrator
5 TIME OUTS = Office Referral
Additional Time Outs beyond 5 will result in an automatic Office Referral.
Reminders accumulate by Teacher.
Time Outs accumulate by Team, not by individual teacher.
Exceptions: Fighting, Theft/Damage to property, profanity towards adults,
extreme defiance—will result in an automatic removal of a student by an administrator.
Student Handbook & Discipline Code of Conduct Information
During the first two weeks of school, teachers and administrators review components of the student handbook and the FCS student discipline code of conduct.
- Student Handbook for RCMS
- FCS discipline code of conduct (directs you to FCS website page)
Uniform Violations
Students are expected to follow the RCMS uniform code at all times. If students come to school out of uniform, the following disciplinary actions will be taken:
- 1st Offense: Change of clothes; Parent will be notified.
- 2nd Offense: Office referral; public detention; Parent notified.
- 3rd Offense: Office referral; public detentions; conference.
- 4th Offense: Office referral; Saturday School; parent notified.
- 5th Offense: Consequence for insubordination.
Procedure for Parents:
If you have concerns about discipline policies and procedures being administered to or addressed with your child or any academic concerns, we encourage you to seek assistance from school personnel. We request that you use the following sequence when contacting school personnel:
• Classroom Teacher
• Assistant Principal
• Principal