SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS FOR LEARNING

Anti-bullying/Harassment/Intimidation

The Mount Horeb Area School District subscribes to the philosophy that bullying, harassment or intimidation in any fashion is unacceptable behavior. The School District sets high expectations for students and staff and expects that students and staff act as role models of excellent behavior across all environments and the community. Bullying, harassing and intimidating behavior is prohibited in all schools, buildings, property and educational environments, including any property or vehicle owned, leased or used by the school district. Educational environments include, but are not limited to, every activity under school supervision. This policy includes interactions between students or staff and other students, parents, community members, or other Mount Horeb Area School District employees.

Policy #443.71 and Administrative Regulation #443.71A

Morning Meeting

Morning Meeting is a daily community building strategy that meets developmental needs and starts the day in an engaging, supportive, and social way. A typical Morning Meeting includes daily news or a morning challenge, greeting others, sharing, an activity or game, and a reflection. Students will want to be on time, so they don’t miss their Morning Meeting!

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

The Mount Horeb Area School District follows a code of conduct for all school programs inclusive of co-curricular and school sponsored activities. The day to day operation of the school follows a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, PBIS, model. PBIS is a complex, multi-tiered system of support for students. As part of PBIS, our school does the following:

• Foster an environment where students and staff thrive in a positive school climate;
• Create a Behavior Matrix that defines behavioral expectations in all school settings, reviewed annually at a building level;
• Establishes a common language that staff and students use in all school settings;
• Provides instruction in expected student behaviors each year with repeated and supported practice provided when behaviors warrant intervention;
• Collects and analyzes data using our student information system that includes the number of behavior referrals, type of behavior, time of day and location of behavior occurred, students with referrals, staff involved in referrals and consequences to determine patterns and develop a plan to increase positive choices of students at the school, teacher, and/or student level;
• Creates a program of support for students that include incentives, repeated and supported practice with an adult, series of interventions, analysis of behaviors to determine student needs and access to supports available; and
• Uses data from staff and the building PBIS team to determine readiness and effectiveness of PBIS implementation.

Our PBIS Matrix lists out the expectations for each school setting. Please review the expectations here.

Proactive Supports

• Genuine caring and support
• Inclusive and supportive classroom and school community
• Explicit instruction of expectations and opportunities to practice the skill with feedback
• Fun, engaging, and differentiated instruction
• Recognition of contributions to community
• Positive calls/letters/emails to parents/guardians
• Special classroom privileges (lunch with teacher, head of line)
• Special activities/assemblies

Reactive Supports

• Restorative Circle
• Processing tools 
• Additional practice opportunities
• Restitution
• Apology
• Parent call/note
• Loss of privilege (including recess)
• After school detention 
• Parent meeting
• Suspension

Fines may be assessed to students for loss or damage of property beyond what is considered normal wear.  

Second Step

Second Step is our formal Social Emotional Learning curriculum that is taught in weekly Guidance classes with our school counselor, Mr. Buddy Sigmon. Each grade level focuses on units on Empathy and Skills for Learning, Emotion Management, and Problem Solving. To see an outline of lesson topics, please visit Mr. Buddy's website here.

Welcoming Schools Lessons

The IC is an inclusive community that welcomes all identities, including students across the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity and gender nonconformity. Throughout the school year, we implement lessons from the Human Rights Campaign’s Welcoming Schools organization to welcome, affirm, and create a sense of belonging for all students. 

Zones of Regulation

Zones of Regulation is a strategy that teaches students to recognize their emotional/internal state and to identify a strategy to meet their needs and move them back to a regulated state.  This includes exploring tools and strategies for mindfulness, sensory integration, movement, thinking strategies, wellness, and healthy connection with others. The IC has regulation tools in all classrooms and in our Green Space, a room dedicated to providing students breaks and supporting student regulation.