The Wilton Board of Education officially approved last week a policy to address challenging behaviors and student discipline and got its first look at a policy meant to meet the needs of children of military families.
Both policies are the result of state mandates, according to Wilton Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Smith.
The behavior policy — titled “Challenging Behavior Prevention: Restorative Practices Response in Student Discipline” — was unanimously approved, 5-0, by the board at its meeting on Thursday, Feb. 5. It is a companion policy to the district’s policy and regulation tied to school climate that was approved by the board in September.
Smith explained that the policies are local responses to changes in CT law, where the state has “reimagined its stance on bullying and mean behavior.”
“For the first time, legislatively, it has also recognized the practice of restoration as a powerful tool for responding to behavior and strengthening climate,” Smith wrote in an email following the board meeting. “I think our current code of conduct is the best artifact to see how we’ve evolved our practices responding to student behavior.”
Each school’s code of conduct (Wilton High School, Middlebrook School and Cider Mill), goes over the particular behavior and how it might be handled, with an emphasis on restoration and support as the first course of action, such as a discussion with the teacher and/or a behavior plan.
At Cider Mill, the use of hate-based language (not directed at an individual) might first be addressed with a discussion with an administrator or others involved as well as exercises empathy building and diversity education.
According to the policy adopted on Thursday, restorative practices are meant to address behaviors that are not violent and do not constitute a crime.
This year’s budget request includes the creation of a Dean of Students position at Wilton High School that will support student management and attendance, according to the budget document.
“The proposed Dean position will strengthen this work at the high school,” Smith said. “We continue to expand our repertoire of restorative practices.”
Military Families
The “Educational Opportunities for Military Children” policy stems from legislation that requires local school boards to take certain steps to ensure a student of a military family has a “minimally disruptive transition” after enrolling at school after the school year begins, and has an individualized education plan (IEP) or a 504 plan.
According to the new law, the student should be allowed to stay enrolled in the school until the end of the school year if the service member relocates on orders and remains in the armed forces; and if they are enrolled in grade 11, to continue to be enrolled in a school for an additional school year while the service member remains in the armed forces.
“I am not aware of any instances locally where children of military families have had difficulties with transitioning into or out of the district,” Smith said. “The policy comports with our philosophy and practice of providing as welcoming a community as possible.”
Smith told the board the intention of the district’s policy “is to ease the transition between schools and communities for children of active members of the military, and so it specifies a number of things. One, the expedited sending and receiving of records. It allows a 30-day window for catching up with immunizations. It demands that receiving schools honor placement recommendations from the sending school.”
Board of Education Chair Ruth DeLuca said the policy has been through the BOE Policy Committee and legal review. The policy will be back before the board at its next meeting for the second read and approval.