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Don’t wait for your ship to come in… Swim out to meet it.
The IDEA House Core Values and Statement of Faith represent the “non-negotiables” of our identity as a faith-based school program. We hold to these values and faith beliefs, not to stand in condemnation or judgment of others, but to affirm those common beliefs that bind us together as a faith-based community. We strive to maintain a fervent and dedicated spirit that remains faithful & perseveres in the midst of difficulty. Pray as if all you do depends on God… and work as if it all depends on you. IDEA House Statement of Beliefs IDEA House Educational Services is accountable to the community for managing student behavior and for creating safe, orderly, productive and successful learning communities. This policy is based on the following shared principles: •IDEA House operates within the context of the wider society and has a responsibility to prepare young people for successful participation in society. By practicing the Christian values of peace and social justice, the students’ understanding and respect for themselves and others will prepare them to contribute to the ultimate goal of a peaceful society. •All individuals and groups within society should be treated with respect at all times. •Faith, families, society, peers, staff and other significant adults influence the behavioral development of young people. •Behavior has consequences which increase or reduce immediate and future choices. •Individuals must accept responsibility for their own behavior according to their developmental ability. In a democratic society, the teaching of appropriate citizenship skills needs to involve all members of that community. Schools provide a social context in which students need to be supported while being taught how to accept responsibility for their own behavior. IDEA House, school communities, services and agencies will work together to create learning communities which are: •safe •inclusive •conducive to learning •free from harassment and bullying. The School Discipline Policy provides a framework for the development of such learning communities. POLICY STATEMENTS IDEA House will focus on providing opportunities and support for students to experience success. In order to ensure student success:
IDEA House will implement strategies to ensure positive learning opportunities for all students IDEA House is committed to teaching the entire child in a home environment with values and ethics that will help them become upstanding, productive citizens. We are committed to helping them find their voice and equipping them with the tools to self-advocate and be as independent as they are able. We meet God’s children with Autism where they are and help to raise them to their full potential while bridging the gap between school and the world.
crisis while reinforcing the rights of other students to learn and teachers to teach in safety and without disruption.
IDEA House will develop in students an acceptance of responsibility for their own behavior. In order to develop this responsibility:
We believe that each person is a child of God and deserves respect.
IDEA House Staff, parents or caregivers, and students will work together to create safe, caring, orderly and productive learning communities which support the rights of all students to learn and all teachers to teach. In order to support and protect the rights of all members of the school community:
responsibilities.
consequences of irresponsible behavior.
seriously or persistently irresponsible behavior. IDEA HOUSE Behavior codes and student development plans are essential elements of effective partnerships. A behavior code is a statement of a school community's values and its expectations relating to student behavior and the school's management of student behavior. It:
IDEA House may ensure that parents and students understand the school's expectations through:
PRINCIPLES AND MISSION: A number of principles and beliefs guide the effective management of student behavior, as outlined below. 1 Behavior is chosen for a purpose. The choice may not always be a conscious choice. Students behave in ways which are meaningful and purposeful, based on their perceptions of the best ways to meet their particular needs in a situation or context. Since behavior is the result of choice, school communities must equip students to make the best possible choices. Schools must provide opportunities for students to develop decision-making skills which enable them to recognize that behavior can be a conscious choice and that different choices result in different consequences. Students who know how to meet their needs through responsible decisions are less likely to behave in ways which interfere with learning. Both passive, withdrawing behaviors and overt, disruptive behaviours can interfere with student learning and can be equally irresponsible choices. Some circumstances may limit a student's ability to exercise choice, but do not diminish the student's responsibility. 2 Behavior codes need to be explicit. Consequences for behavior must be nonviolent, and reflect the policies of IDEA House Educational Services and the expectations of the wider community. Non-violent consequences are responses which do not involve any form of physical punishment, emotional hurt or verbal harassment. 3 All individuals and groups within society must be valued and treated with respect. The IDEA House staff and students are a special God-planned family brought together for a purpose – His purpose.The diversity within the group must be acknowledged in school responses to student behavior. We must acknowledge that students have different levels of ability to learn and to cooperate with other people. We need to take into account these when formulating appropriate responses to irresponsible behavior. Most irresponsible or withdrawn behaviors’ indicate that students need more learning, practice, support, or counselling. IDEA House will explore the possible causes and implement strategies for behavior change in order to increase the level of successful learning. Strategies may include reviewing and reforming school structures, classroom practice or curriculum and involving interagency services. 4. A partnership is necessary between staff, students and their families if a safe, caring, orderly and productive school community is to be created and if responsible student behavior is to be developed. A whole school community approach to the management of student behavior will provide a consistent environment in which students can learn to take responsibility for their own behavior. Hold Each Other’s Arms Up : “Thus I strive to respect, love, protect and support others in all ways possible.” Exodus 17:11-12 School communities need to work in partnership to identify shared values regarding student behavior, to clarify expectations and consequences in the school's behavior code and to ensure that they are being applied consistently. School staff will need to take the initiative in establishing partnerships. In order for an intervention plan to be effective, consistent application of skills and expectations needs to occur in the home and school environment. Parents who repeatedly demonstrate an unwillingness to support the IDEA House Program in which their child participates will be asked to find a new service provider. 5. Staff must have opportunities to develop a wide range of skills in managing student behavior. Staff who understand a range of models and are supported in implementing them are better able to develop successful school discipline and to assist students and their families in making decisions about behavior. |