Staff Newsletter
Week of April 2nd (Easter Break)
Message from the Principal
Welcome to Easter Vacation!
The personnel office up at the Archdiocese always says that March has the most problems involving teachers, parents, and students because people are tired and ready for a break. So, rest up and I hope you all come back refreshed and ready for a strong finish to the 2017-18 school year. There are a couple of very important items in here, so please check them out and ask me if you have any questions.
Have a wonderful week ahead!
Blessings,
Katie Dempsey
Reminder: Funeral and Reception on Tuesday
Student Discipline Concerns - Please Read Carefully!
I have noticed a few issues lately surrounding the treatment of students by certain teachers that has caused me to pause. I also received a complaint from a parent (about a sub) that I had to research and deal with today. The issues deal with how students are treated by staff. It is true that most parents choose Catholic schools for, among other reasons, our discipline. They want children to learn how to be respectful and they do not want poor language, bullying, and other issues to be allowed. This is important. I have witnessed a few issues lately, though, that have caused me concern. First off, let me say that I address the issues when I know of them. The fact that a couple have happened so close together, though, has left me unsettled and I want to make sure that there is not a broader problem.
The purpose of student discipline, is for children to learn right from wrong and to ensure student safety. Children need to be corrected when they are making a mistake, but this should be done in a gentle, but firm way. We all make mistakes and we all need to learn from them. Corrections, however, should NEVER be done out of anger or when the adult is angry. NEVER. You should not ever grab a child or raise your voice as though you are yelling. NEVER. If you are in this frame of mind, feeling frustrated (as happens to every teacher at some point), then take a breath. You have a couple of choices. You can wait to deal with the issue until you (and potentially the student) are calm or you can call the office and ask for Amparo or myself to step in and help. In addition to the possibility of causing a situation to escalate, causing emotional or physical harm to the student, you are putting yourself and your career in jeopardy (and the reputation of the school). Also, students all have different boundaries, so what may not seem like a problem for one student can be a physical or emotional boundary violation for another student. Here are some applicable sections on this topic from the Personnel Policy manual at the Archdiocese (which can be located at: http://www.ocsww.org/site/content.php?r=146-Policies-Procedures-Manual):
1.7 (A) All employees of Catholic schools must act professionally, morally, and ethically in the workplace by treating co-workers, supervisors, volunteers, parishioners, children, and visitors with respect and by conducting themselves in a manner consistent with Catholic principles. This policy applies to employees of both Category I and Category II schools.
3.36 (A) All employees of the School are expected to maintain the highest professional, moral and ethical standards in their interaction with students and maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning. Professional boundaries are to be established and maintained, and students protected from inappropriate conduct by adults and other young people.
3.36 (B) Staff members shall not intrude on a student’s physical and emotional boundaries through inappropriate touching or other interactions unless the intrusion is clearly necessary to serve an educational purpose or to protect the physical, mental, emotional health and safety of a student. An educational purpose is one that is consistent with the staff member’s duties and the educational mission of the Archdiocese. Employees are expected to be sensitive to the appearance of impropriety in their own conduct and the conduct of other staff and students when interacting with students. Whenever staff members suspect or are unsure whether conduct is inappropriate or constitutes a violation of this policy they are expected to consult with their supervisor.
3.36 (C) Employees whose conduct violates this policy may face discipline and/or termination consistent with Archdiocesan policies. The employee will be placed on paid Administrative Leave while the investigation of any alleged abuse or misconduct is conducted.
If you witness inappropriate behavior of another member of the staff towards yourself, a student, another member of the staff, or a parent, please contact me immediately to report this.
As I said, this is a difficult issue, but an important one to address. All of us, including students, should feel safe and secure in a positive learning atmosphere at the school. I watch all of our staff giving so much extra time to the students in their care and I know that almost all of the time, it is a positive situation. Sometimes, though, we can get frustrated or burned out from all we do. Please DO NOT put yourself in a situation that could result in harm to a student or staff member, or your own career. One mistake can be all it takes. These same issues apply to how we treat one another, as well, especially in front of the children.
Here are a few more tips:
- If working one on one with a student, leave the door open or work in the open, so that other witnesses are around.
- When feeling frustrated, tell a student that you need to address the issue but take a few moments before doing so.
- If you need a more immediate solution and are feeling frustrated or angry, contact the office immediately and ask for an adult to come to the classroom.
- If you need a moment, ask another staff member to watch your kids while you take a moment in the staff room.
- Do not yell or raise your voice. Even if you do not mean for it to sound like you are angry or yelling, that is how it sounds to students and other adults. If you feel you have to yell to get the attention of your students, then this is a problem. Yelling is not a suitable part of effective classroom management.
- If you would like additional coaching, Amparo or I are available for you. Also, we have money for professional development, so you are welcome to take a class if you locate one that you like.
- Finally, when dealing with a student issue, it should be done only with the student(s) involved, not in front of the entire class. Students should not have to feel shamed or embarrassed to be able to identify and correct behavioral issues.
As I said, I know that everyone is doing a great job most of the time, but we are all working hard to build a wonderful school and we do not want to cause harm to the children or the school by a bad decision made in the heat of the moment.
Thank you for reading this carefully.
-Ms. Dempsey