Faribault Middle School
Empower Energize Engage
Our Mission: To improve student achievement by creating a positive learning environment that includes the recognition and respect for individual student needs and a structure to support those diverse needs
1.) Develops Policies and Procedures for Behavior Management
2.) Handles Parent, Student, Teacher concerns
3.) Develops the Master Schedule
4.) How the school Child Study Team functions
Policies and Procedures for Behavior Management
Our job at Faribault Middle School is to focus on procedures that are aligned to our District Mission and Vision to strive to empower, engage, and energize all students through its commitment to a quality education and creating an effective learning environment.
Link to District Discipline Policy:
PBIS at FMS
Behavioral Systems of MTSS-PBIS
Here at Faribault Middle School one of our goals is to create a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for ALL students. To strengthen our learning community and improve academic success, we have implemented Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This program is a teaching approach used to build positive relationships with students, reinforce positive behaviors, and prevent challenging behaviors.
In our program, students learn how to "SOAR," which stands for Stay Safe, Own Your School, Act Responsibly and Respect Everyone. This program takes a proactive and preventative approach toward bullying, low level behaviors and requires students to be accountable for their behavior and other positive or negative actions.
Staff at FMS know and understand that all students want to learn. Learning happens for students at different times and in different ways. In order for students to learn and to individually achieve, they need to feel that they are valued, accepted, and an important part of the whole school community.
"SOAR" provides opportunities of encouragement and connectedness. This is our school's attempt to create positive connections for all kids and have them experience success. We are proud of our students and want all of them to be an integral part of our school's climate.
This systematic approach focuses on the 85-95% of students who are doing what is expected, yet do not get recognized due to the behavior of the 5-15% of the disruptive or uncooperative students.
PBIS different strategies to increase school climate
Looking for what you want-Falcon Feathers
Common Language
Maintain 5 positive interactions to every 1 negative interaction
Positive Recognition: Falcon Feathers, All-Star Team, Student of the Month, Mini VIP winners
Tiers of Support
Major vs. Minor Behaviors
ABOVE THE LINE BELOW THE LINE BEHAVIORS
It's All About Relationship Building and Growth Mindset!
Processing Sheet: Use when students are sent out of class.
How does FMS handle parent/student/teacher issues?
Administrator as the last resort, not the first.
My policy is if the parent has not talked to the teacher first, I ask them to come back when they have and then all of us can sit down and talk together.
Beliefs when working through parent/student/teacher issues:
2.) Encourage and Empower Staff: Talk to staff about creating positive relationships with their students and parents. Be proactive. Communicate early and often. When talking with parents, ALWAYS start with a POSITIVE.
3.) Let all Stakeholders know that we have Open Lines of Communication at FMS.
4.) If a parent contacts the Administration first: We ask, "Did you speak to the teacher?"
5.) If a parent contacts the Administrator and is very upset, let the parent vent. It is sometimes best to let the parent unleash on the administrator before going to the teacher.
6.) Use Active Listening Skills -- often times parents just want to be heard.
7.) Teacher-Parent Meeting or Follow-Up Meeting with Administration after contact with a teacher (TEAM Approach): Move from confrontation to Problem Solving. Have students be a part of the conversation/Solution. Let the parents talk about what they've tried and how it worked. Come up with a solution together.
8.) Reminders to State the Facts and be Non-judgemental.
9.) Follow-up, Follow-through, ALWAYS.
10.) If a pattern starts to occur, either with the student, parent or teacher it will be addressed accordingly.
How does Faribault Middle School develop the Master Schedule?
Master Schedule Process:
November/December: New courses get approval from School Board, Counselors and AP work on registration guide, guide gets approved by departments
January: Registration Guide is printed, communication to students and parents to educate them about the registration process, students register (Students need to apply for Advance courses, get signatures, etc.)
February/March: Go through registrations, determine FTE's/sections. Get FTE allocations from District, assign FTE's/sections, start looking at staffing
April: Determine staffing, meet with departments about sections, who is teaching what/next year assignments, start working with Special Ed. secretary/staff to start building the Master Schedule, Get department requests
May-July: Build Master Schedule, Look at individual Student Requests
August: Finalize Master Schedule, schedule individual special education students, schedule general ed. students, double check it, Share with Staff, run schedules
What I've learned...
We start building the Master Schedule with Special Education and our Elective courses because those tend to be the hardest ones to place and spread out. We then build in the core classes.
Things I learned to Remember:
1.) Every teacher needs a lunch and a prep.
2.) Shared staff need to be placed accordingly and so do part-time staff.
3.) You need to consider available space in the building (classrooms, gym, etc.)
4.) If there are 10 sections per grade level you need to make sure there are 10 classes available every hour -- every hour students need to go somewhere
5.) Schedule one grade at a time, usually the toughest grade to schedule goes first.
6.) Make sure all FTE's are accounted for.
7.) Consider student requests.
8.) Make sure para supported hours and inclusion hours are scheduled.
9.) Spread out elective classes, especially for Band and Foreign Language.
10.) Schedule singleton classes accordingly.
What is Child Study (CST)?
A successful CST looks at behaviors and academics equally. The CST is part of MTSS.
The CST consists of the Assistant Principal, School Psychologist, Social Worker, Special Education teacher, Evaluation Specialist, and classroom teachers who submits a referral form.
Child Study Team Process:
2.) The teacher comes to a CST meeting with formal and informal observations, assessments and data regarding student with academic/behavioral concerns. Teacher talks to team about concerns.
3.) CST asks questions to understand whole child. Comes up with interventions for teacher to try. A teacher needs to try 2-3 interventions for a period of time with data collection attached to intervention. (Usually 2-3 weeks)
4.) CST has check in meeting with teacher to go over interventions, data and how things are going.
5.) A decision is made. Maybe interventions are working and the decision is made to stay the course. If the interventions are not working the School Psychologist may suggest the student be tested for Special Education.
6.) If testing is going to happen parent permission is needed. The School Psych and Evaluation Specialist will head up the next step. There will be a pre-assessment meeting for special ed. testing. Prior Written Notice will take place for the initial eval.
7.) The Special Ed. team will have 30 days to complete the evaluation.
8.) After the evaluation is completed there will be a results meeting. If the student qualifies for Special Ed. services will be discussed. If the student does not qualify, the team will go over why not and what interventions can be in places to help support the student. The student typically would get Tier III interventions and RTI support.
I have been a part of our Child Study team as a classroom teacher of Inclusion Math for 12 years. I am very familiar with the process and IEP's.
As a Math Teacher, Peer Coach and Administrative Intern I have also been a part of monitoring all students for academic success. Data collection, monitoring progress and supports to help students achieve is a strength of mine. I have expertise in leading Data Retreats and working with core teachers/Special Ed. teachers in working on closing the achievement gap.
Connect With Us
Email: mviniski@faribault.k12.mn.us
Website: http://fms.faribault.k12.mn.us/
Location: 704 17th Street Southwest, Faribault, MN 55021, United States
Phone: 507-333-6300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faribaultms
Twitter: @FaribaultMS