JCPS rolls out behavior plan to parents

Some parents notice change, others haven't

Jefferson City Public Schools Superintendent Larry Linthacum begins a Wednesday meeting at Moreau Heights Elementary School about the new behavior plans in the district. The new plan is to have a more consistent and universal system among schools.
Jefferson City Public Schools Superintendent Larry Linthacum begins a Wednesday meeting at Moreau Heights Elementary School about the new behavior plans in the district. The new plan is to have a more consistent and universal system among schools.

Administrators at Jefferson City Public Schools rolled out the district's revamped behavior plan to parents at Moreau Heights Elementary on Wednesday and addressed concerns families had about protocol.

Several parents voiced dissatisfaction with the way disruptive children were dealt with in the past. They asked how teachers and principals are handling those issues as to not hinder other students' learning.

Some said their children used to be well-mannered in school but recently started mirroring the frequent troublemakers because they want attention from the teacher and think that's the only way they'll get it.

Superintendent Larry Linthacum said he's heard similar complaints and incidences prior to his arrival last July, and the district has to own that. But staff is working on a solution adding behavior supports targeting the 5 percent of children with chronic behavioral needs.

Last school year, Director of Special Services Sheila Logan and Director of Secondary Education Tammy Ridgeway headed the Behavior Task Force, made up of 61 district staff members. The task force collaborated on what's expected from students and created consistent consequences for misconduct.

Veteran and new teachers may have different expectations and consequences, so the district needed an aligned plan so students would receive the same discipline for the same action in each school, Linthacum said. It also makes transitions easier for students who move from building to building if they have the same expectations.

Ridgeway said the rules at her house may differ from other parents in the room.

"At my house, I don't make my kids take their shoes off," she said. "It's not a big deal; the shoes can fall where they may. But at my brother and sister-in-law's house - who I love very much - you take your shoes off at the front door. And I have to remind my kids when we go over there."

It's just like shoes, she said. There may be different expectations at school than what's expected at home.

Parents were given the elementary handbook and a copy of the district's strategic plan. The handbook outlined prohibited conduct and a wide range of disciplinary outcomes.

Ridgeway said the handbook is a guideline, and the range of possible disciplines give principals flexibility depending on the offense and the student.

The expectations laid out by teachers and the subsequent consequences will work for about 95 percent of the students, Logan said. Of the district's roughly 9,000 students, there's one incident per student on average.

But for the students who need additional support, the district has put together a team of behavior and psychology specialists to work with students, teachers and parents to get to the root of a student's behavior problem.

Moreau Heights has a school psychologist assigned, as well as a behavior interventionist and board certified behavior analyst. The added support is new this year and there to help the 5 percent of students with chronic behavior problems.

Logan said the highest number of office referrals are from second grade and seventh grade, and the most common incidents are misconduct and disrespect to staff.

"We have to address issues with kids that don't know how to behave," Logan said.

At the elementary level, they also have a half-day transition program working specifically on social skills. An additional program is hosted at Cedar Hill called the Compass Program for students who need more help moving in the right direction, Logan said.

The goal is to help students in the classroom setting, but if that's not working, students may be moved to the support programs.

An anonymous staff survey last year drew responses from 86 percent of the staff, and student discipline was the No. 1 complaint. That's why it's a priority this year, Linthacum said.

"I have to own up to the last 10-12 years," he said. "We're working to get better. We want kids, when they graduate, we want them to be responsible for their own actions - that's a core value."

"I'm asking you to be part of the solution," Linthacum said in conclusion. "When folks gripe, you can fan it or you can throw cold water on it and say, 'Give them a chance.'"

Shawn Beck, the father of a student at Moreau Heights, said the presentation was about what he expected. While it's early in the school year, he said he hasn't noticed much change in the district's approach to discipline in the last year.

"I expected the school to take more responsibility for its actions," he said. "I believe they have good intentions and they care, but I haven't noticed change yet."

Jennifer Ford has one child at Moreau Heights and another at Lewis and Clark Middle School. In years past, her niece and nephew attended Moreau Heights, and she heard stories of entire classes being evacuated to de-escalate one child's fit.

However, she's noticed change at the school and attributes it to Principal Sue Haugen, who started her first year at Moreau Heights in the 2015-16 school year.

During the presentation, Haugen frequently jumped in to answer parent questions about what the different discipline terms mean at the elementary school and addressed some of the changes this year. Entire classrooms being evacuated is rare, she said, and would only happen in extreme cases.

If it's occurring this school year, Haugen said she wanted to know about it.

The line of communication is always open at the school, she said, and she wants parents to reach out to their child's teacher anytime they have a question or concern.

"I appreciate the willingness of the higher-up administration to come and ask questions," Ford said. "I sense a culture change. I think we're seeing positive change."

Central office staff will host the same presentation at each school and parents and teachers are encouraged to attend, ask questions and bring their concerns.