Stepping Stones will strive to assist children in learning to guide their own behavior through positive attitudes and using positive reinforcement when appropriate. Students will be taught to understand the rules and guidelines for appropriate behavior at school and the consequences of inappropriate behavior. Our rules are: 1) Being safe, 2) Treating one another and nature with respect, and 3) Being kind to others, our classrooms, and our play areas and outdoor environments.

 

We encourage children to:

• Employ problem solving skills such as negotiation and active listening, and to come up with as
  many creative solutions to a problem as possible.

• Use language to express needs and emotions, and to use words to solve differences. Adults help provide key phrases and words for the children when the child is unable to do so.

• Care for the people and equipment in their environment and enjoy freedom with responsibility.

• Safe, reasonable, and age-appropriate limits, together with opportunities for children to practice new social skills, are the cornerstones for gaining self-control and responsibility.

 

Discipline procedures such as physical punishment, verbal abuse, or threats will never be used at Stepping Stones.

If inappropriate behavior is consistent, or if a child displays behavior that is dangerous to himself, other children or teachers, a conference will be scheduled with the child's parents and the Director. A behavior plan will be agreed upon and implemented. Procedures will be added to the child's personal file including the following information:

• Documentation of the behaviors leading up to the meeting

• Possible solutions discussed to help behavior improve

• Scheduled time frame anticipated for improvement of the behaviors

• Referral to outside agencies will be made if necessary

• Should the child's inappropriate behavior continue after all plans have been carried out, removal of the child from the center may occur

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