Behavioral Approach

How Is Behavior Managed at Pineland Learning Center?

Pineland Learning Center offers a wealth of hope, services and opportunities for students with special needs, while providing a physically and psychologically safe, culturally sensitive and predictable environment. The majority of PLC students find success in academic and personal development. Students who have been vulnerable, targeted and alienated find protection from provocations. Students who have provoked others and/or disrupted the security and learning of others are protected from their own impulses. PLC's behavior management program is considered to be a model program.

The staff understands that students have widely different abilities and challenges. Behavior management begins with exceptional knowledge of our students and continues by providing ongoing support. In addition, students receive incentives for proper behavior and for following rules using a positive behavior support model.

The Behavior Management Process:

• When a student is having difficulty, the first response is to assist the student and work with him or her through a problem solving process.
• Should the student continue to have difficulty, the next step is a Verbal Warning. This warning is a clear statement of the improper behavior and a clear statement of the required behavior.
• If the verbal warning does not help or if there is a problem later, the next step is to assign a Brief Focus Assignment. This is a short research assignment intended to give the student a structured time-out, and allows the teacher to observe the student's compliance and to plan for the next course of action. This is an individualized assignment, and is not a punitive measure.
• If the refocus assignment is not successful, the student is then sent to Crisis Intervention. In Crisis Intervention, the student is assigned a focus assignment and then, as the student's personal issue has become a school problem, the student's problem is solved for him or her, with the student obligated to the resolution. The student is responsible for any missed class work and receives an after-school detention for that day. In some cases, students may serve multiple after-school detentions, and the parent/guardian will be notified of the situation. Students held for detention are transported home by PLC staff. Meals are provided, if applicable.
  

PLC makes every effort to reasonably adhere to the established behavior management program. However, the staff may vary from the prescribed programming and exercise reasonable and necessary behavior management and safety practices in volatile, dangerous or extreme situations. PLC, as a general rule, does not practice the suspension of students.

Occasionally, students experiencing a period of instability or requiring extraordinary supervision and services are assigned to a classroom with a dedicated psychologist for students in need of Intensive and Exceptional Services. He or she receives all IEP entitlements and is very closely supervised.

In rare situations of actual or significant risk of harm to the student, other students, staff, visitors or property, PLC may employ protective physical restraint for safety, as a last resort (NJ Stat. 18A:6-1). PLC employees are trained, certified and re-certified in non-violent crisis intervention techniques by the Crisis Prevention Institute.

Parents and guardians can assist their children by reviewing the PLC Handbook together, and by supporting their compliance with the handbook.