Sand Paths Academy has a full-time Behavior Intervention Specialist, who is responsible for supervising and supporting the staff in implementing the Behavior Management System and in developing individual Behavior Plans for each student’s IEP.

            The school’s behavior management system is based on providing immediate verbal feedback to students regarding 14 basic social skills. Teachers work on teaching the social skills to the student, providing rationales for using the social skills, practicing the social skills before and during each class, and reinforcing them with positive points when they are used, and correcting them with negative points when they are not used appropriately. If students earn negative points, emphasis is placed on re-teaching and reinforcing the skill that the student failed to use appropriately.

            At the end of each day, students earn a total score based on the difference between positive and negative points earned. The total points over a five day period then determine which one of four behavior levels the student is on for the next week. Each of the four levels has associated privileges or restrictions, which are clearly posted in each student’s classroom.

            Charts are sent home daily with comments to parents on the student’s day. The parent is made aware of total points for the day and the corresponding level that their child will be on the next day. Furthermore, parents have space to send comments back to teachers on the same form. In this way, Sand Paths Academy establishes daily communication with parents, so that school behavior can be acknowledged and responded to at home.

            All staff are Pro-ACT trained and are able to safely use physical intervention as a last resort, if a student is demonstrating unsafe behavior and/or is in danger of hurting himself or others. It is the policy at Sand Paths Academy to use physical intervention only as a last resort. Parents will be notified via an Incident Report should a child require physical intervention at any time.

            Sand Paths Academy is a safe environment. We have a zero tolerance policy for violence. Students who become verbally or physically violent or threatening may be placed on in-school supervision or suspended. Following a suspension, a re-entry meeting with the parent, student, Behavior Management Specialist and homeroom teacher is required. Frequent violations of this policy may lead to a change in placement.

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