Crossroads Center Takes on Behavior Management
August 20, 2011
fhuff

GraduateFIRST school, Crossroads Center, is an Alternative educational facility that serves students from all Houston County’s middle and high school. Crossroad’s Action Plan focuses on incorporating behavioral engagement strategies to decrease disciplinary referrals. The Plan is also used as an instrument to govern decisions and ideas to enhance their school’s culture.

Some of the highlights include:
·         A school wide survey completed by all of the school’s stakeholders in order to develop a school wide discipline plan.
·         Students are required to wear uniforms. There is a “dress down” day to recognize all students who have not had any discipline referrals for the month.
·         An end of the year cook-out prepared by the Administrative Team for students with no discipline referrals.
·         Implementation of a Self-Determination program where students “determine their destiny” by becoming self advocates and acquiring ownership of their education.
The faculty at Crossroads is excited about the strides they have made in their first year as a GraduateFIRST school. “Relationships have strengthened and we are continuing to evaluate the culture and climate of our school environment.”
Teachers aren’t the only ones excited about the new initiatives that have put into place. A 9th grade student shares, “the rewards for the students who show good behavior have proved to be a helpful incentive for everyone to do their best. Having something like dress down day to look forward to shows us that our good deeds do not go unnoticed.” Another student from the 6th grade when questioned about her thoughts regarding the GraduateFIRST program responded, “it’s a good thing because for one day we get to dress in our regular clothes. It helps kids a lot and students are given more opportunities to improve their behavior.”
As Angela Wootson reflects that the GraduateFIRST graduation/dropout prevention project is not just for students with disabilities, but is for all students.  "This program has taken off the blinds as to how we viewed behavior; and now we work daily to turn around behavior by teaching and redirecting the behaviors we expect instead of just punishing the behavior."
List Weight: 
0