Braun Educational Center

1. Braun Educational Center Intake Presentation 2013-2014

2. Braun Basics Respect Yourself Respect Others Respect Learning

3. Overview • School Hours • Attendance • Check-in • Class Work/Homework • Homeroom/Schedule • Friday Folder • Breakfast/Lunch • Level System • Expectations • 2 Minutes & IRs • QMI • Self Care • Transitions • Classroom Store • School-Wide Incentives • Holidays and Birthdays • Art Therapy • Social Work • PE • Contacts

4. School Hours • School Hours are as follows: • The school building is open from 8:00AM-4:00 PM. • Student’s regular school day is 9:15AM-3:15PM. • AM Detention for Elementary students begins at 8:45AM.

5. Attendance Daily attendance is required at Braun. Please take a copy of the yearly calendar with you today. Truancy tickets may be issued by your district based on their guidelines.

6. Check-in • All students at Braun go through the check-in process each day. • Students arrive at their designated doors, and check-in with Braun staff by doing the following: • Walk through the metal detector. • Pull pockets out so staff can see they are empty. • Pull up pant legs, so staff can see the top of the sock-line. • At certain times, students may be asked to remove shoes, jackets, coats, or hooded sweatshirts in order to better check their person.

7. Class work/Homework • Students at Braun follow a schedule similar to their home schools. Your specific classes will be tailored to your needs and based on what your district authorizes. • Bells ring throughout the day to direct students to specific classes. • Your child may bring in their own back pack and school supplies. Otherwise, classroom community tools can be borrowed daily. • Homework will reinforce material that has been presented in class. Students will be given homework daily. • Only on rare occasions will students not have homework assignments to complete (for example, beginning of the school year, holidays, or field trip days). • Please check your child’s homework folder every night.

8. Homeroom/Schedule • Each student is assigned a homeroom. • During homeroom, students eat breakfast, turn in homework, and review their level sheet from the previous day. • Typically, we will follow a daily routine. An example of a class schedule is listed below. Special events, such as incentives, field trips, holidays, and assemblies, will change our schedule. • Check-In/Morning Routine • Math • Language Arts and Reading • Lunch and Recess • Social Studies and Science • Special: Computers, Group Therapy, or Art Therapy • P.E. • Dismissal

9. Friday Folder • At the end of the school week, your child will receive a Friday folder. • Your child’s graded work, level sheet, and general comments from the week’s activities are included. • Please review your child’s assignments and levelsheet and empty the folder. Any incomplete/absent work can be completed and resubmitted to earn credit. • Sign the Friday Folder document in the plastic folder and return the folder to school with your child. • Your signature assures usthat that you are aware of your child’s academic and behavioral progress. Space is available for you to write any comments or questions you may have.

11. Breakfast/Lunch Each student at Braun is provided with breakfast and lunch. Most days there is a cold breakfast (cereal, milk, yogurt, fruit). There is a weekly menu for hot lunch. Students select their choices a week ahead. A copy of the student’s choices will be sent home. Students can choose to bring in their own lunch as well. Pop and candy are not permitted lunch items.

12. Level System The system at Braun is based on 5 levels. Student levels are based on time in class or “TIC”. Here is a copy of the student’s level sheet that records their time in class, levels, support services and disciplinary actions.

13. Expectations • Every day is a new day. • Comply with staff requests and follow the Braun Basics. • If you make a mistake, it’s important that you recognize what happened, and think about what you can do differently in the future. • Students earn special privileges as they climb or maintain our highest levels. • Earn behavior bucks to make purchases in classroom store for a homework passes, computer time, snacks, toys, pencils, erasers, etc. • Climb levels to earn special privileges • Level 5 special incentives: ice cream socials, student lounge, field trips, etc. • The JOY OF LEARNING

14. Behavior Management System • If students choose to break a Braun Basic, classroom guideline, or their IEP objective: • First time: Warning • Second time: In-class IR • If the student is unable to start his/her in-class isolation and reflection, he/she will be directed to an IR. • Students will automatically be sent to an IR, if they choose to: • Be verbally aggressive (put others down) • Harm themselves or others • Destroy or steal school’s or others’ property • Go out-of-area (Run away and out of sight from a staff member) • Use gang symbols or gestures • Additional consequences can incur. A loss of privileges (e.g. recess or an incentive), QMI, or a level drop can be issued.

15. 2 Minutes & IR’s IR stands for “Isolation and Reflection”. You can think of this as a time-out. IRs happen in specific rooms outside of the classroom. Some IR rooms have doors, which may be closed if staff feel that intervention is necessary. In-class and out-of-class IRs are recorded on the level sheet. Only out-of-class IRs count as time out of class. A student’s level is affected by the minutes spent out of class. The highest level is earned by being in class for the entire day. Staying in class is always the goal.

16. QMI QMI stands for “Quality Minutes of Isolation”. Major behavior offenses may require you to spend time doing QMI. If you are directed to serve QMI, these minutes are expected to be “quality,” meaning quietly reflecting on the event. These minutes are only complete when they are done consecutively. This means that if you are not following expectations during any portion of the QMI, the time will start over. QMI is recorded on the level sheet as time out of class.

17. Self Care (Taking a Break) • The Self Care area is a center in the classroom where students can go to when they are feeling angry, sad, frustrated, annoyed, etc. • This is a place in the room where you can take a break from class. • There are various activities they can use to help themselves relax and calm down. Puzzles, Legos, art supplies, games, coloring sheets, and brain teasers are a few of the items that can be found in the Self Care area. • When upset, students can appropriately request to use the Self Care area for five minutes. Afterwards, a staff member will check in with the student to make sure he/she is ready to join the class. • Again, appropriately managing your feelings in the classroom is key!

18. Transitions Students are to remain with staff at all times. Failure to be in your assigned area will result in an immediate level drop. This will be recorded on the level sheet. For example, leaving the classroom without permission and supervision. When transitioning, students are expected to walk quietly in a single file line. During most transitions, students are directed to stop at the corners in the hallways before continuing. Failure to transition appropriately can result in an IR.

19. Classroom Store Each classroom has a classroom store where students who earn “behavior bucks” can spend this money at the designated time. Items in the store vary, including snacks, school tools, toys, and homework passes. Please let your teacher know if there are certain items you would like to “buy” (within reason).

20. School-wide Incentives Braun is a recognized PBIS school. Weekly, students earning our highest levels can earn a special incentive. This can be a movie day, an ice cream social, student lounge, computer time, or a field trip. During certain times throughout the year, the entire school will focus on PBIS school-wide goals. When we achieve our goal, there is likely to be a school-wide celebration. But do your best at all times! On “Out of the Blue” days, students can earn a special treat. For what? It’s a surprise. You never know what staff are watching out for.

21. Holidays & Birthdays • Parents and students are welcomed to send or bring in birthday or holiday snacks to school. • Snacks must be store bought and sealed. • Our classroom is typically less than 12 students, so please include one for every child. • Please do not feel that you have to provide any snacks. • A letter will be sent home when we are having a holiday celebration. If you would prefer your child not to participate, please let us know.

22. Art Therapy Each student has art therapy with his/her homeroom class one time during the week. During art therapy, students use art materials to help communicate or process emotions. It is a hands-on experience to help regulate behaviors. Art therapy focuses on gaining an understanding of self and others, not technical ability or skill. It is a therapeutic service provided as part of Braun’s curriculum which counts toward time in class, however no letter grade is issued on a report card.

23. Social Work Each student has social work group therapy twice a week. Based on specific student needs, you may receive individual or small group sessions in addition. During group therapies, students learn about pro-social behaviors, appropriately managing their emotions, and social thinking skills.

24. Physical Education Students have PE class everyday. Students are expected to wear/bring tennis shoes with rubber soles in order to participate in class. Students who are not safe throughout the day may be assigned safe PE. Safe PE takes place in a classroom and students complete written work. Weather permitting, PE may take place outside.

25. Personalized Contact Information • Homeroom Teacher: • emitchell@swcccase.org • Social Worker: • rmcdougal@swcccase.org • School Number: (708) 687-4971