Students enrolled at Navy Hale Keiki School are in their early stages of development. It is the school's expectation that its students learn to interact properly with others. For many children, Navy Hale Keiki is their first exposure to a structured environment with other children. The staff is trained to work with students in acquiring proper behavior and to correct inappropriate behavior. Teachers and After School Care providers develop a classroom discipline plan. Classroom rules are reviewed with students at the start of school and reinforced throughout the year. Parents learn of the discipline plan during Student/Parent Orientation or upon enrollment. Staff members may not use corporal punishment or humiliation tactics.

Recommended techniques to be used with children are as follows:

1. Redirection of inappropriate behavior
2. Proximity praise
3. Conflict resolution
4. Collaborative group problem solving
5. Recognition of appropriate behavior (e.g. special privileges)

When these methods prove to be ineffective, or when a student's behavior continues to disrupt the orderly conduct of classroom instruction, additional measures become necessary. Consequences for such incidents include:

1. Time Out - The student is removed from the group for thinking time. The length of time varies according to the age of the child but shall not exceed 10 minutes. The time out area is in plain view of the staff member in charge.
2. Loss of Privilege - The student loses part of his/her recess or free time.
3. Sent to the Office with an "Office Referral Form" - The form includes a description of the behavior and a copy is to be sent home by the teacher to the parents as soon as possible. The student is removed from class and brought to the office for time out. The student is counseled by the Director or the Administration. Parents may be called.
4. Suspension from School - In extreme incidents, a student may be sent home from school for the remainder of the day. This usually involves repeated misconduct, aggressive physical behavior, or total disregard for authority.

Teachers are instructed to inform parents of students who exhibit behavior problems in the classroom. The partnership between home and school is important and necessary in helping a student adjust to school and become a contributing member of the class. The Director is informed of any significant behavioral problems which cannot be corrected in a reasonable amount of time. This includes, but is not limited to, physical aggression and continual noncompliance to verbal instruction. The Board of Governors and parents are informed of all significant behavioral incidents, particularly when an injury results.

Approval of the Board of Governors is required for involuntarily disenrollment of a student for a significant behavior problem. The Director will provide recommendations to the BOG in each case. The Director may suspend a child from school on an interim basis until the BOG is able to act on the recommendation for disenrollment.

A child un-enrolled for disciplinary reasons may re-enroll the next school year only upon approval of the Board of Governors.

Abusive & Dangerous Behavior

In an effort to create and maintain a safe and positive learning environment, and to help each child learn to accept responsibility for his/her behavior, the students are treated with gentleness and respect, and are expected to treat one another and all staff members similarly. However, should misbehavior occur, teachers will work with parents to correct the problem.

The basic kinds of misbehavior being referred to would include:

• one student hurting another or a staff member (i.e. biting, hitting, kicking, spitting, etc.)
• damaging materials
• behaving in a manner that is abusive or dangerous to oneself or others

We will encourage the child to verbally express his/her feelings, and we will try to provide alternate methods of handling frustration and anger. While such incidents will be handled on an individual basis, the following disciplinary procedure will be followed:

1. On the occasion of the first disruption of the expectations, the student will be removed from the situation and counseled by the teacher. The incident will be documented and the parent notified in writing.
2. On the occasion of the second disruption, the student will be taken to the Director’s office and the parents will be notified. The incident will be documented and the teacher, parent(s) and Director may meet to brainstorm ways to correct the problem. The parent(s) are advised that in the event of a third disruption, they may be called to come and take the student home.
3. On the occasion of a third disruption, the student will be taken to the Director’s office, and the parent(s) may be called to come and take the student home.

Consultation with appropriate community resources is often a positive step in trying to set up a plan to handle the behavior. However, when all interventions are exhausted, and the situation has been deemed detrimental to the safety and progress of the rest of the class, the Board of Governors will make a determination regarding the necessity to disenroll a child.