Bull Run's Effective Schoolwide Discipline program is called SOAR. Success through Organization, Attitude and Respect. We are using a positive approach to behavior expectations and discipline in order to increase the student's time-on-task in the classroom and positive behaviors in the hallways, cafeteria, and buses. Procedures and expectations have been established and taught to the students for all areas of the school: classroom, restroom, hallway, cafeteria, bus, etc. These procedures are reviewed at the beginning of each semester. 

 

We use various forms of rewards. There are SOAR Cards that students may receive from teachers, admin, bus drivers, secretaries, anyone for positive behaviors or SOAR qualities. Students take the SOAR Card to the office (there are 3 large tubs - one for each grade level) to place it in the tub and receive a small token (pencil). Each Monday there is a drawing and three students from each grade level are selected for a prize. Every Quarter there is a drawing three students from each grade level are drawn and they win a prize. Pictures of the past winners are displayed in the display case in the entry hallway if you wish to see them.

 

Teachers are provided with various methods to help improve the behaviors of students who may not be following the expectations. We have the SIP (Student Intervention Plan) and a Parent Notification Form that we have been developed to assist teachers in developing plans to improve student behavior. 

 

Our 6^th grade administrator, Ms. Vega, has developed a program to create a safe environment for our students on the buses to and from school. She has a meeting with the drivers and riders of each bus at the beginning of the year to establish rules and expectations. The students are able to ask the drivers questions and get acquainted with them, thus developing a relationship. If a number of bus referrals are turned in from a particular bus over a period of time, Ms. Vega meets with that bus again to review the expectations and outline the consequences if improvement does not occur. This part of SOAR has been very successful for Bull Run.

 

We have developed SOAR School as an alternative to out-of-school suspension. The participants in this program are introduced to activities that reinforce the SOAR program and qualities that we wish to see in students. They participate in discussions and active group work to develop social skills to become successful in the school environment.