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Evidence of recommendation implementation

Staff can name school practices or procedures that keep the students safe, healthy, and engaged.

Students can explain the school’s positive discipline policy, show visitors where the discipline policy is posted in hallways, student planners, and in notices to parents, and procedures for submitting anonymous tips.

All teachers can explain classroom management strategies they use to maintain creative, supportive, and structured learning environments.

A review of discipline and suspension data shows yearly improvement.

A review of disciplinary actions and nonpromotion issues, broken down by subgroup, shows that the staff analyzes data to ensure equal access. Records also show corrective actions they use to address issues of inequity.

Year-to-year comparisons show more equal distribution of disciplinary actions and of nonpromotion among all the school’s subgroups.

Photos, names, or trophies are on display to show the students who have been recognized for good character qualities.

School Web sites or schedules show club opportunities that help develop youth assets.

Students and adults greet each other in a respectful, caring manner, can discuss the school’s expectations for civil behavior, and can explain how to resolve conflicts.

All staff members can explain the school’s bully-prevention, violence-prevention, and crisis response procedures and have received training to handle student problems.

 Service-learning projects are on display and show how students researched topics that had to do with improving the school, community, state, nation, or the world.

Co-curricular activities have elements of building character and improving social skills.

Student programs include required health instruction.

Physical education classes are not just filled with physical activities, but are observed having the objective of promoting an active lifestyle, improving health, motor skill development, and better cognitive performance.  The curriculum helps students develop positive social skills, learn to cooperate with others, and learn to accept responsibility for their own actions.

The school facilities are clean and attractive.

Adults supervise the playground, hallways, bus loading zones, and meal areas.

Every student can say the name of an adult that he or she can turn to for support or assistance.

A full-time counseling staff is available to provide counseling and referrals to mentors and community health services.

Counselors can explain how they assist students beyond academics to include socio-emotional and physical issues.

In the counseling office, there are services, or access to services, for students and their families that are having difficulties.

The school Web site and school brochures list parent education classes such as how to help their children study, how to help their children cope with middle grades, how to get their children on track for college, and how to parent the young adolescent.

Staff members include resource teachers, nurses, counselors, and psychologists to help students in all areas of their lives—social, emotional, intellectual, and physical.