SOUTH BEND -- Dawn Jones says South Bend Community School Corp. officials have been talking about improving the student code of conduct for years.
"We had focus groups and came out with (a version) that had more teeth," the longtime school board member and current board secretary said. That approach was known as "zero tolerance." But, it didn't include tools for staff members, Jones said, and ultimately didn't work at curbing improper behavior in a way that allows students to remain in school.
"This has been ongoing, trying to figure out what we need to do to make sure the classroom environment is better for all," Jones said.
Now, corporation officials think they finally have the answer.
Last week, the board approved a new code of conduct -- an extensive document -- that's focused on acknowledging students' good behavior and reducing out-of-class time for those who exhibit inappropriate behavior.
District officials are lauding it as a new discipline system that has benefits across the board, from improved relations between staff and students to better classroom instruction and ultimately, higher graduation rates.
"There isn't any one strategy or method that will launch us into positive behavior management," Superintendent Carole Schmidt said last week. "What we have is multiple levels of support for teachers and accountability for all, including the superintendent, board, administrators from other departments. ... Because all of us, in some way, interact with children."
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