Discipline
As part of our communication, Issaquah Middle school wants parents to understand that discipline laws in the last few years have changed from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). As a school we are tasked to have students in school more and not have them missing out on their education with things like suspensions. This may be very different than what parents may have experienced themselves in school or what they may feel should happen. Students at this age make mistakes and as a school it is our job to teach, reteach, and give appropriate consequences.
When considering discipline, the district strives to keep students in their classroom whenever possible; provide for early involvement of parents in efforts to support students in meeting behavioral expectations; make every reasonable attempt to involve parents and students in the resolution of behavioral violations for which discipline may be administered; and identify forms of discipline that should be administered before or instead of administering classroom exclusion, suspension, or expulsion to support students in meeting behavioral expectations. Disciplinary actions must be non-discriminatory, fair, age-appropriate and correspond to the severity of the student’s misbehavior.
Students at Issaquah Middle School are invited to Panther Camp to go over all of the school expectations in the handbook, behaviors at lunch, the classroom, the restroom, assemblies, etc. If students violate the school rules or expectations, they may be given an Office Discipline Referral or an ODR. Teachers or staff may give warnings, have one-on-one conversations to try to curb behavior, but sometimes an ODR is necessary. Administration or our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) specialist often hear from the student and discuss the behavior before administering consequences. Teachers or administrators will communicate either by phone or email when they are giving an ODR or consequence.
Administering other forms of discipline may involve the use of best practices and strategies listed below. Below are the forms of discipline that school administration should consider as the result of a behavioral violation. Administrators must consider the student's individual circumstances and the nature and circumstances of the behavioral violation to determine what level of discipline is warranted.
Interventions
Level 1
- Behavior mentoring
- Community Service
- Contract (Academic, Attendance, Behavior)
- Counseling in behavior expectations and potential consequences for behavior violations.
- Confiscation of inappropriate items
- Detention either before school, during lunch and/or after school.
- Intervention Group
- Parent Notification and Conference
- Peer Mediation
- Personal Reflection
- Positive Behavioral Support Plan
- Privileges Suspended
- Reassignment to Different Class/Programs
- Request Student Conference
- Restitution
- Restorative justice practices
- Restriction of school-related activities
- Social skills instruction
- Special assignments · Threat Assessment (see 3225P)
- Warning
- Other Action (consistent with other Level 1 interventions)
Level 2
- Any Action from the prior level may be imposed.
- In School Suspension
- Short Term Suspension and/or Abeyance (1-10 days)
Level 3
- Any Action from the prior level(s) may be imposed.
- Long Term Suspension and/or Abeyance (11 or more days)
Level 4
- Any Action from the prior level(s) may be imposed.
- Expulsion
Often times parents would like to know what has been done, but the administration cannot discuss any other student because of FERPA privacy laws.
Tier 1
We are excited to share more about our Tier 1 practices that promote positive behavior and student engagement here at IMS.
Our Panther Bucks reward system is in full swing! Students earn Panther Bucks from staff for demonstrating positive behaviors, which they can use at the Panther Store, open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during lunch. If you are interested in donating items to support the store, please contact our MTSS specialist, Heather McDonough, at mcdonoughh@issaquah.wednet.edu.
We also recognize outstanding students each month through our Most Valuable Panther (MVP) program. With the help of our PTSA, students nominated by their teachers will receive ice cream in Homeroom and a certificate recognizing their achievements. Each month, nominations are based on a different character trait that aligns with our "Go Panthers" motto:
- September – Gratitude
- October – Originality
- November – Perseverance
- December – Accountability
- January – Niceness (Kindness)
- February – Teamwork
- March – Honesty
- April – Empathy
- May – Respect
- June – Selflessness
Finally, we have the Golden Ticket recognition program, where teachers nominate students who go above and beyond in kindness, effort, or leadership. Much like in "Willy Wonka," recipients of a Golden Ticket are invited to a special celebration in their honor. For example, one student was recognized for waiting with a friend who was injured until help arrived. These moments of extraordinary kindness and support for one another are what make our IMS community so special.
Thank you for supporting these efforts to create a positive and inclusive school culture!