Code of Conduct
For more information on Second Step, go to http://www.cfchildren.org/second-stepThe staff at Newcastle is committed to working cooperatively with parents and students to promote a positive and safe environment with Positive Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Supports (PBSES). This document provides a guide to our PBSES program based on best research and practices.
The Newcastle Code of Conduct is designed to …
- Support our school mission, vision and goals by helping students develop attitudes, habits, and skills that encourage their success and learning.
- Describe practices to understand and address the causes of adverse behaviors and support productive behaviors, reconciliation and problem solving.
- Collaborate and communicate with families. Partnerships between home and school are critical to developing student’s conflict resolution skills and positive personal choices.
- Prevent escalation of behaviors such as harassment, intimidation, and bullying.
The Lion’s Pledge
The Lion’s Pledge (right) originated with the foundation of our school. The pledge starts and ends with a growth mindset statement. Recently added to this statement are four positive behavior expectations for all students.
For more information on Second Step, go to http://www.cfchildren.org/second-step
Lion’s Pledge
I am a Newcastle Lion
I have GREATNESS inside of me I will use my greatness
To focus my mind and body. To make good choices.
To treat others with respect
and kindness.
To help solve problems.
To be the BEST me I can be.
Newcastle Lion PAWS-itive Behaviors
- I focus my mind and body. Second Steps, our social-emotional curriculum, calls this ‘skills for learning’. Strategies for focusing the mind and body include active listening, avoiding distractions, following directions, positive self-talk and being assertive. In nearly every situation students need to learn how to focus their attention, sustain effort and avoid distractions.
- I make good choices. Making good choices is about self-management or emotional management. It begins with self-awareness about our body, emotions and thinking. Sometimes it requires the use of calm-down strategies or strategies for managing frustration. We also teach how to handle anger, disappointment, mistakes, disagreements and worry in a positive and productive way.
- I treat others with respect and kindness. Respect and kindness includes using common courtesy words, learning to identify feelings, embracing differences and being empathetic, caring and helpful.
- I help solve problems. In both academic and social settings, learning to be students and citizens entails encountering problems and working toward solutions. Socially students learn how to be inclusive, play fair and handle interpersonal conflict from small typical problems to larger problems that require getting help or advocating for others.