2022 Welfare Policies & Procedures

Mission Statement

Frankston Special Developmental School is committed to:

• Enabling students to achieve their personal best in an atmosphere of mutual respect, cooperation, and celebration.
• Ensuring students feel valued and cared for and have meaningful opportunities to contribute to the whole school and can effectively engage with their learning.
• Developing our students to become respectful members of their community by creating an inclusive, safe, and positive learning environment, through the explicit teaching of pro-social behaviours

We strive to be an effective school that is inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of our students.

Our Value Statement

Frankston SDS aims to provide a safe, friendly and caring environment where students are encouraged to do their best in a vibrant and engaging atmosphere.

The following values are being central to the life of our school and how all members of the school community should conduct themselves.

Respect        for yourself and others, being kind and learning our school rules

Caring           for others in our classroom, school and the wider community

Sharing         with others, taking turns and working with others

Individuality being the best you can and doing the best you can

Code of Ethics for School Community Members

All members of the Frankston SDS Community have a responsibility to:

• Acknowledge their obligations under the Equal Opportunity Act 1995, Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and communicate these obligations to all members of the school community (see Appendix A)
• Meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Disability Standards for Education 2005 when planning all programs and activities (see Appendix A)
• Participate and contribute to a learning environment that supports the learning of self and others
• Ensure their actions and views do not impact on the health and wellbeing of other members of the school community by behaving in accordance with the school’s “Shared Norms” (see Appendix B)
• Provide a Child Safe environment for all students (see FSDS Child Safety Policy, available online or on request from the office)

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Program
(S-WPBS)

Frankston SDS is committed to implementing the S-WPBS approach to the teaching and management of student behaviour.

School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (S-WPBS) is an evidence-based framework for preventing and responding to student behaviour. It aims to create a positive school climate, a culture of student competence and an open, responsive management system for all school community members.

Through the implementation of S-WPBS, School wide systems align to create an inclusive environment where there is a:

• Common purpose and approach to discipline
• Clear set of positive expectations and behaviours
• Procedures for teaching expected behaviours
• Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behaviours
• Continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behaviours
• Procedures for data collection, ongoing monitoring and evaluation

Frankston SDS uses the following principles to guide our decisions and actions:

1. Use data to guide decision making
2. Establish school discipline as an instrument for academic, social/emotional and behavioural success
3. Make decisions that are linked to important and measurable outcomes
4. Utilise evidence-based practices
5. Emphasise an instructional approach to behaviour management
6. Emphasise prevention
7. Integrate initiatives, programs and interventions that have common outcomes
8. Adapt products, activities, actions etc. To align with cultural and contextual characteristics of the local environment (eg. Family, neighborhood, community)
9. Build and sustain a continuum of behaviour support
10. Consider and implement school-wide practices and systems for all students, all staff, and all settings
11. Evaluate continuously

Coordinate efforts with a school-wide leadership team Frankston SDS expectations of behaviour

Students behave positively when they know what is expected of them, and when they feel safe, and know that someone believes in them and cares about them and their learning. Great teachers and great teaching make a significant difference to how students behave and learn.

Positive behaviour doesn't just happen. Students need to know the expectations and what positive behaviour looks like.

At Frankston SDS our expectations of behaviours across all environments are:

Respect others – we work and play together
Respect the environment – We look after our things and the places we go
Respect yourself – We make good choices and do our best.

For a full list of our school-wide expectations of behaviour see Appendix G

The three tiers of S-WPBS

Tier 1: A positive school climate.

At tier 1, expected behaviours are taught systematically and explicitly through: developing a safe environment; using positive reinforcement; creating predictable structures and routines; video modelling; teaching skills through meTV; practising skills in functional situations; providing choices and celebrating achievement.

Tier 2: Minor, persistent infractions of expected behaviours that interfere with learning of self and others

At tier 2, as well as tier 1 strategies, interventions include: a “quick” Functional Behaviour Analysis (FBA); systematic and targeted use of a positive reinforcement system; sensory analysis/diet/breaks: more time spent on students’ preferred activities to provide opportunities for success. These interventions are developed by the class staff, supported by the Student Welfare Committee.

Tier 3: Persistent challenging behaviours that endanger self and others

At tier 3, interventions are developed and implemented with the support of a School Support Services Officer (SSSO), in conjunction with the class staff and the Student Welfare Committee. A full FBA is conducted and a Positive Behaviour Plan (PBP) developed, documented and signed by the SSSO, parents/carers, class teacher and Principal/Assistant Principal. In addition to tier 1&2 strategies, an individualised timetable is developed and additional 1:1 support provided.

See Appendix I

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