Nativity Prep Academy's Restorative Practices
The purpose of this discipline policy is to use restorative practices to provide a structure to repair the harm that was done and restore relationships. We strive to be faithful, loving, inquisitive, perseverant, and responsible in our way that we practice discipline at our school.
Our vision for discipline at Nativity Prep Academy is that through restorative practices, our values of being Faithful, Inquisitive, Loving, Perseverant, and Responsible come through to our students.
- Faithful: We make sure that we are faithful to our students by continuing to have conversations around discipline, making sure it is the most effective for our students. We show our students that our discipline is an extension of God’s love and discipline with us.
- Inquisitive: We continually bring the student into our discipline conversations rather than punitively assigning punishments. We ask why they may have acted out and how we can be a resource to them moving forward.
- Loving: We use love as the driving factor of our discipline. We discipline not to punish the student but instead because we love our students so much that we desire to see them grow.
- Perseverant: We continue to discipline students with dignity, even the ones that chronically misbehave. By being perseverant with the most challenging students, we show them their value.
- Responsible: We acknowledge that it is our responsibility as staff to hold high expectations for our students when they act out. We keep holding those high expectations for them even when it would be easier to let something go.
The purpose of this discipline policy is to use restorative practices to provide a structure to repair the harm that was done and restore relationships. We strive to be faithful, loving, inquisitive, perseverant, and responsible in our way that we practice discipline at our school.
Restorative Practices
Restorative practices is a framework for a broad range of approaches that proactively build a school community based on cooperation, mutual understanding, trust and respect, and respond to conflict by including all people impacted by a conflict in finding solutions that restore relationships and repair the harm done to the school community.*
* Adapted from Restorative Solutions, Inc. from the Restorative Practices section of the Model Code on Education and Dignity written by the Dignity in Schools Campaign)
Progression for Addressing Behavioral Interruptions
- Have a conversation with the student or group of students about the behavior and how to remedy the situation.
- If the behavior persists, communicate with families to alert them of the behavior and come up with accommodations, modifications, or other interventions to improve the behavior. The staff member will then attempt to work with the student or group of students through accommodations, modification, or other interventions to improve the behavior.
- If the behavior still persists, inform the Director of School Culture, and they, together with the family, will work together to fill out a Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP) to help support the student and staff member moving forward.
- If the problem persists still, inform the Principal of the behavior and they, together with the family, will attempt to support the student or group of students in improving behavior.
- If the behavior is serious enough, the Principal and family will discuss more serious consequences.
Potential Consequences
- Restorative Practices: As part of our disciplinary measures, teachers or administrators may require a student to complete an agreed upon task during the student’s non-school hours that will help the student to learn from their behavior, make amends, and help restore their good standing within the school community. The consequence should ideally try to be connected as much as possible to help restore the harm that was caused. Example: If a student is chewing gum, they could spend time during lunch or recess scraping the gum off of tables.
- Loss of Free Time: Teachers may restrict a student’s free time for minor infractions. The student will typically be working on a restorative practice during that time.
- In-school Suspension: For acts of misconduct that are of a greater severity, students may be required to spend one or more school days in the office working individually on assignments given by teachers. Multiple in-school suspensions in the course of the academic year may result in the termination of a student’s scholarship agreement. Formal conferencing will be required for re-entry.
- At-home suspension/Dismissal from Academy:As an absolute last resort, students guilty of major infractions that endanger or disrespect any member of the Nativity community may be subject to serving an at-home suspension or dismissal from the Academy. Formal conferencing will be required for re-entry.
Nativity Prep Preventative Schoolwide and Classroom Practices:
Schoolwide | Classroom |
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Nativity Prep Restorative Response Matrix*
*Adapted from San Diego Unified’s Restorative Discipline Policy
A Level 1 behavior is one which requires low level interventions that can be provided by the classroom teacher or staff member. Behaviors are typically addressed at the time that they occur, and do not require documentation. Classroom documentation and/or family/guardian communication by a staff member involved in the event is recommended.
| Behaviors | Restorative Response |
|---|---|
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Others involved: None
A Level 2 behavior is one that requires interventions that can be provided by the classroom teacher/staff member. Classroom documentation is recommended and family/guardian communication is required to ensure students receive the support needed to understand and correct behavior.
| Behaviors | Restorative Response |
|---|---|
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Others involved: Family Members, Optional Advisor
A Level 3 behavior is one which requires more intensive interventions than a Level 1 or 2 Behavior, and which may or may not require administrator involvement. Formal documentation through contacting the Director of School Culture through a form and family/guardian communication is required to ensure students receive the support needed to understand and correct behavior.
| Behaviors | Restorative Response |
|---|---|
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Others involved: Family Member, Director of School Culture
A Level 4 Behavior is one which requires immediate administrative involvement and documentation. Level 4 Behaviors violate municipal codes and/or laws, are severe, or pose a threat to the physical safety of the individual student and/or others. Written formal documentation describing interventions initiated, conducted or attempted, and family/guardian communication is required. Formal Conferencing may be required.
| Behaviors | Restorative Response |
|---|---|
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Others involved: Family Member, Principal, President
A Level 5 Behavior is one which requires immediate intervention and administrative involvement with written documentation of interventions previously in place. Level 5 Behaviors require a mandatory recommendation for expulsion. Formal documentation and family/guardian communication is required. A staff member observing or being informed of a Level 5 incident will notify administration immediately to start a process that compiles all interventions provided to the student and initiates investigation. Formal Conferencing will be required.
| Behaviors | Restorative Response |
|---|---|
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Others involved: Family Member, Director of School Culture, Principal, President
In order to successfully implement and maintain restorative communities, schools and classrooms will uphold the following principles:
- Engaging students in relevant instruction, with clear agreements about interactions with one another.
- Creating safe spaces throughout the campus and in classrooms for all students and using a restorative justice approach after incidents take place that in which harm has been caused.
- Repairing and restoring relationships between students and/or adults after harm has taken place to reestablish safe spaces for all.
- Encouraging all school staff to build positive relationships with students and be actively engaged in their students’ academic lives and learning.
- Increasing awareness of student behaviors that are associated with trauma, crisis, disabilities, cultural norms or medical conditions, and understanding the triggers for those behaviors in order to better address the needs of the student.
- Promoting high standards of behavior by teaching, modeling, and monitoring behavior.
- Pairing school discipline with meaningful social emotional learning that offers students the necessary guidance to learn from their mistakes and positively contribute to their school community.
- Utilizing our student support team to make sure that data is collected and trends are recorded to better understand student behavior.
- Ensuring students have a trusted adult to support them through a restorative suspension or expulsion process that is fair, thorough and involves families. This process will also include restorative conferencing.
Nativity Prep Behavior Chart for Rewards and Consequences
Level | Description | Persons Involved | Possible Recognitions/Consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
+5 | Heroic Act | Board, Community, and below | Public Recognition, AMDG Award |
+4 | Distinguished Service | Principal and below | Social Media Recognition |
+3 | Values Recognition | Director of Student Culture and below | Community Value Award |
+2 | Noticeable Act of Kindness | Family, Grade Level, and below | Recognition Sent Home (paper or digital) |
+1 | Addition to Class | Teacher and Student | Assembly Recognitions |
-1 | Level 1 | Teacher and Student | Affective Questions/Informal Conversation |
-2 | Level 2 | Family and Advisor | Dojo/call/message sent home, Optional Family Reflection worksheet |
-3 | Level 3 | Director of Student Culture and above | PB Plan, check ins |
-4 | Level 4 | Principal and above | Suspension (in-school or at-home) |
-5 | Level 5 | Board, Community, and above | Expulsion or At-Home Suspension |
Explanation of Behavior Chart
The behavior chart above is a visual way that we see the behavior with our students. We recognize that we need to give the student consequences when they act out, but we also realize that we need to recognize them when they stand out. The level of the action that the student participates in directly relates to the type of consequence or reward given.
- Heroic Act
- Student Saving someone, making a major positive impact in the broader community
- Distinguished Service
- Acting through values in a way that makes an impact on the school
- Values Recognition
- Exemplifying values, always wears their uniform, being extra helpful to others
- Notable Act of Kindness
- Helping student who dropped all their belongings, picking up trash without being asked
- Addition to the Class
- Kindness, working hard
- Level 1
- Saying thank you, helping a friend, moving around the classroom, talking out of turn
- Level 2
- Being in a “teacher-space” without permission, talking back
- Level 3
- Continuation of Level 1 or 2, being disrespectful to others, leaving a classroom without permission
- Level 4
- Leaving campus without permission, bullying another student
- Level 5
- Breaking a law, bringing illegal substances or dangerous items to school
