In keeping with the Mission, Vision and Values of the Niagara Catholic District School Board, the following are Administrative Operational Procedures (AOP) for Prevention, Response, and Support of Student Behaviour.

The Board, along with its elementary and secondary schools, is committed to supporting a safe and inclusive Catholic learning environment for all students and staff, respecting and celebrating the uniqueness of each student and staff within its Catholic community. The Niagara Catholic Policies and Procedures apply to all students, including those with exceptional or special needs. Niagara Catholic provides an inclusive environment for all learners. Some students may require more intensive and responsive processes with collaborative behavioural programming, focused on function-based proactive strategies. 

 

Behavioural programming requires ongoing review and consultation. This may include consultation with a Behaviour Resource Teacher (BRT), Multidisciplinary Teacher (MDT), Behaviour and Communication Services Lead (BaCS Lead), Behaviour Analyst (BA) and Applied Behaviour Analyst Facilitator (ABAF). Consultation ensures that appropriate measures are provided for student and staff safety in an effort to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury.

 

This procedure provides direction to assist in the collaborative effort to respond to the student’s right to an appropriate education while identifying behavioural needs and maintaining their safety. Determining socially significant goals while planning with parents/guardians/caregivers, school staff, Student Support staff, and community partners requires open communication, and awareness of student voice.

 

The Education Act and related regulations and Policy and Program Memoranda (PPMs) emphasize the use of discretion in discipline; mitigating and other factors must always be considered for all students.

DEFINITIONS  

APPROACH TO SUPPORTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR

 

Behaviour is a response to a child’s environment and also serves a specific purpose and function. These administrative and operational procedures recognize the importance of promoting positive approaches in responding to interfering behaviour. Proactive approaches are used to reduce the overall incidence of behaviours that are likely to pose an imminent physical risk to anyone in a school community. Principals (or designates) and staff are called to recognize their responsibility to first utilize the least intrusive measures to promote/uphold the safest possible school environments in loco parentis. 

Supporting positive behaviour requires preventative measures. Prevention includes anticipating, preventing, and reviewing the potentially interfering behaviour(s) and to evaluate and review the team’s response and strategies. 

 

Positive and proactive behaviour supports shall be used as an approach to resolve situations involving interfering behaviour by using the least intrusive means possible. Positive behaviour supports require that staff:

 

·   Understand a learner’s profile (e.g., identity, exceptionality, diagnosis, developmental and medical considerations) and the impact it has on a student’s behaviour or stress response. This basis of understanding impacts programming expectations which may ultimately impact student behaviour.

·   Adopt a posture of practice with a commitment to eliminating implicit bias of our assessment and expectation of student behaviour

·   Use Trauma-informed strategies and be mindful of the student’s mental health and well-being, and how this may be expressed behaviourally

·   Support individuals in their behaviour change process, without controlling or coercing them

·   Analyze the environment/context in which the behaviour occurs, reduce environmental triggers and/or risks

·   Establish a positive relationship with the student through pairing to help form and develop rapport

·   Conduct ongoing assessment of student motivation and preferences

·   Recognize the need to reevaluate a student plan based on objective evidence

·   Recognize and value positive parent/guardian engagement and partnership as an essential condition to supporting students exhibiting interfering behaviours

·   Create a safe and supportive learning environment that is identity affirming, and provides culturally relevant and responsive classroom instruction and materials

·   Create a Circle of Support with the student at the center, inclusive of culturally relevant and responsive board and community resources and supports as needed

·   Proactively plan for school entry or new and developing Behaviours

·   Apply an evidence-based approach of observation and data collection (e.g., Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA)

·   Establish consistent, structured, positive, school/classroom expectations and routines and reinforcing behaviour that is consistent with school, classroom, and behavioural expectations

·   Identify antecedents and consequences preceding and following interfering behaviour. These patterns may be used to identify/hypothesize possible functions of behaviour and develop informed interventions

·   Teach behaviours that are socially acceptable function-based alternatives to interfering behaviour

·   Utilize visual/verbal de-escalation measures and reducing potential triggers or contributing factors for the individual student

·   Understand the need to support individuals in the replacement of interfering behaviour as opposed to controlling or compelling them

·   Apply an empirical approach with respect to data collection including the adherence to collaborative problem solving, FBAs, etc. Reflection and analysis of data drives school teams to reconsider their approach and modify a student plan based on objective evidence.

 

Ongoing Tier 1 consultation, including, but not limited to Behavioural Management Systems (BMS) training, professional development, access to appropriate personnel, and adherence/implementation to/of best practices are ongoing in the prevention of interfering behaviours.   

 

PROCEDURE AND PREVENTION

 

Where a student is entering a school (i.e., from another school / program or beginning school for the first time) and the school staff is made aware that the student has behaviours that pose a significant safety concern and/or risk of injury, or where new and developing behaviours have been identified.

 

The principal/designated staff shall:

 

a.   Through signed consents, collect and review all relevant documentation from the parent/guardian, previous school/program, daycare, community agencies, and other relevant partners.

b.   Host a student entry Case Conference to gather and share information:

·   School history

·   Family information

·   Identity considerations

·   Student’s successes and areas of strength and need

·   Relevant health and physical information, diagnosis, and medication

·   Identification of risk and protective factors

·   Current and previous supports and/or interventions (including medical, social-emotional)

·   Current or past agency involvement

·   Academic background

·   Recent history of potentially aggressive events

·   Known or possible contributing factors and triggers to interfering student behaviour

·   Effective and ineffective strategies that have been used to support the student’s needs

c.   Include the Student Support Coordinator and the relevant personnel from the Student Support Department to a school entry case conference for a student with a history of interfering behaviour. Student Support staff may identify additional staff to attend (e.g., Program/ Coordinator of Health and Safety). The case conference, in addition to parent/guardian, may include key agency and support personnel, where appropriate and consent from the parent/guardian has been provided.

d.   Develop an appropriate transition plan for the student, including dates for school and/or classroom visits.

e.   Consult with the Family of Schools (FOS) Superintendent should delayed entry be required, length of day modified, or, in consultation with the Superintendent(s) of Student Support/Safe Schools, exclusion considered.

f.   Identify any staff training requirements and develop a plan to provide for training.

g.   If applicable, create a draft Individual Education Plan and determine the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and arrange for such provisions.

 

Behaviour Support Plans (BSPs)   

 

A comprehensive document created based on information obtained following completion of a Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA), consisting of direct and indirect data collection, and analysis completed by or in consultation with ABA staff.

 

Includes:

·   Student profile including description of the student’s needs

·   Description of the student’s motivating operations (potential reinforcers)

·   Operational definitions of behaviours to increase and decrease, along with the student’s behaviour goals

·   Analysis of baseline data

·   Generalization section

·   Debrief section

·   Function-based proactive strategies

·   Function-based responsive strategies

·   May include skill development programming

·   May include an escalation continuum with corresponding strategies to assist staff in safety responding to various levels of behaviour

·   Signature page (Principal, Area Behaviour Analyst, Parents/Guardians)

 

BSPs require ongoing review, consultation, and consistent daily implementation. Following a behavioural incident, staff will reference the BSP during their debrief session to discuss fidelity of implementation and determine if further action or revisions are warranted. As BSPs may require substantial collection of direct/indirect data and time for analysis, prior to the development of a BSP, a Safety Plan may be developed if there is imminent risk to self or others due to interfering behaviour(s) at the school level.

 

·   The BSP will be written in collaboration and consultation with school-based staff, the parent/guardian and with the support of board resource staff, if necessary. Student voice should be also considered.

·   Review the BSP with the school team and share only with staff working with the student. Revisions will be made as needed. Review the BSP as part of debriefing an incident;

·   Ensure all staff, including regular and occasional staff, working with a student are familiar with the BSP and its contents prior to working with the student;

·   Ensure the BSP is signed by caregivers, the School Principal, and area Behaviour Analyst.

 

 

Data Collection - Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence (ABC) Chart

 

BSP/Safety Plan considerations 

 

Ongoing forms of data collection should be outlined for the review and revision of this type of behavioural program. At the onset of implementation, team members responsible for the development of the BSP should outline daily data collection expectations for school staff. Additionally, the team must proactively develop a schedule for data analysis and review and ensure measures are in place for ongoing communication between school staff and ABA staff. Regular review is required to: identify dynamic factors that trigger, sustain, or assist in reduction of the behaviour, reveal patterns of behaviour, determine is behaviour is escalating, assist in prioritization of target behaviour(s), provide a basis for further exploration of skill deficit(s) or behavioural excesses in the form of a FBA.

 

Examples of Data Collection, not exhaustive:

·   Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence (ABC) Data

·   Frequency Data

·   Duration Data 

·   Permanent Product

·   Anecdotal records 

 

Record keeping platforms include but are not limited to: Google Drive, Rise, Safe Schools Reporting Form and the Ontario Student Record (OSR)

 

An ABC Chart is used to collect individual student data to understand the context of the behaviours, to make improvements to support student’s learning, and reduce risk of staff or student injury. “A” is the antecedent or trigger, “B” is the behaviour, “C” is the consequence or school/staff response. Additionally, ABC data helps to assess patterns in antecedents/triggers. Schools respond to behaviours by designing and implementing targeted, intentional antecedent strategies and responsive strategies that meet the communicative need and function of the behaviour in prosocial ways that restore dignity to the student and the learning environment.

 

Data Collection - Indirect Assessments

 

Indirect assessments should be utilized, which include questionnaires, rating scales, etc. A Questions About Behaviour Function (QABF) is a function based assessment tool.The educator targets one observable behaviour (e.g., hitting, eloping) and answers 25 questions based on the behaviour. The results offer possible functions of the behaviour with the goal of developing targeted and intentional replacement behaviours aligned with the hypothesized function of behaviour.

The principal/designated staff shall:

 

a.   Use an ABC data sheet to record the events that occur before (antecedents) and after (consequences) to assist in determining the function of the student’s interfering behaviour to address student’s needs

b.   Provide a secure location at the student’s school to keep the behaviour tracking sheet, ensuring it remains at school, and the staff attending should complete the entry

c.   Review behaviour tracking sheets as part of a BSP review. Regular review of a behaviour tracking sheet by the classroom educators*, and other staff as appropriate, is required to:

·   Identify factors that trigger, maintain, or reduce the behaviour

·   Reveal patterns of behaviour

·   Determine if the behaviour is escalating or improving

·   Prioritize target behaviour(s)

·   Identify effective strategies to reduce interfering behaviours

·   Provide a basis for further investigation of areas of improvement and Functional Behavioural Analysis

·   Inform ongoing revisions to the BSP and the Safety Plan (if applicable)

 

*Classroom Educators are defined as classroom teacher, early childhood educator and/or educational assistant.  

 

Safety Plan 

 

The principal/designated staff shall:

 

a.   Develop a Safety Plan as soon as there is evidence that the student’s current behaviours pose a risk of injury or imminent risk to the student and/or others.

c.   Ensure the Safety Plan is inclusive of the travel environment (e.g. bus rides), and articulate planned supports and responses while in transit, including emergency communication. If a student requires the support of a rider on the bus, staff must receive training specific to the Safety Plan in this new environment.

d.   Share the Safety Plan with all staff members who have direct contact/support for the student (e.g., teachers, early childhood educator, educational assistant, board staff supporting the student), including regular and supply staff, prior to the student’s school entry.

f.   Share with the parent/guardian. Although parent/guardian agreement with the plan is preferable, agreement and parent signature are not required.

g.   Identify the individuals responsible for implementing and reviewing the Safety Plan, which include school-based staff (e.g., Principal, Vice-Principal, Education Resource Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Educational Assistants, Central level staff).

h.   Ensure team members have current BMS training before working within the Safety Plan:

·   BMS Theory for a supporting role

·   BMS Physical for use of physical containments

j.   Consult with ABA staff, if needed, in the development of the Safety Plan.

k.   Consider seeking input from the relevant ABA staff in determining the actions recorded in the response to escalating behaviours of the Safety Plan.

m.   Ongoing meetings for all stakeholders should occur to review the plan, at least once per term/semester, maintain minutes of the meeting and a signed record of participating staff.

n.   Review and revise the Safety Plan as necessary, and as part of an effective Transition Plan when moving:

·   from elementary to secondary

·   to a new school/placement/program

·   to a new grade/division

o.   Complete Physical Response Form (Appendix 1) and Physical Response Form Debrief (Appendix 2) after every incident causing injury, or threat of injury, to review the Behaviour Support Plan, data sheets, and/or the Safety Plan.

p.   Maintain a record of team meetings and signatures of participating staff.

q.   Ensure a Physical Response Form (Appendix 1) is completed by the staff member using physical containment.

 

 

Continuum of Physical Interventions  

 

1.   Student (or another student, staff or visitor) is at imminent risk of harm or injury.

2.   All non-physical responses have been exhausted.

3.   The physical response presents less of a risk than the behaviour itself.

 

Persistent Blocks and Releases 

 

If a school staff employs persistent BMS blocks and releases, it is suggested that they complete a Physical Response Form (PRF). If school staff determine it to be necessary, they may fill out sections 1 and 2 of the corresponding Debrief Form. Upon completion, it will be sent to the area Behaviour Analyst and a BMS trainer will visit the school to meet with the principal, Educational Resource Teacher (ERT), and any staff involved in the incident to complete sections 3 and 4 of the Debrief Form within one week. 

 

DEBRIEF OF INJURY OR ASSAULT OF A STAFF MEMBER  

 

Upon injury or assault, the employee or co-worker shall notify the Principal, Vice Principal or designated teacher-in-charge immediately. The School Administration shall conduct, within 24 hours, a debriefing, keeping a Principal’s record where there is evidence of escalating behaviour, health care or lost time accidents and/or the receipt of a Safe Schools Report. Strategies to reduce the risk to staff and students shall be identified. The debriefing should include all members of the Core Team.

Immediate Actions  

 

The principal/designated staff shall:

 

·   Ensure all persons are safely and securely situated and assess for injuries

·   Reassure and follow-up with support for student and staff

·   Ensure provision of emergency First Aid, if required or requested

·   Contact FOS Superintendent

·   Inform Health and Safety Department immediately and, for a critical injury, secure site for investigation

·   Notify emergency contact/family member of employee, as appropriate

·   Contact parent/guardian of student

·   Report all incidents using the Safe Schools Incident Reporting Form and Employee Incident and Accident form to the Health and Safety Department within 48 hours

·   Complete and submit the Physical Response and Physical Response Debrief Form within 24 hours, as appropriate

 

A.   Student Debrief

  

The principal/designated staff shall:

·   Investigate the incident and follow appropriate disciplinary or non-disciplinary and re-entry procedures

·   Complete Physical Containment Form within 24 of incident, as appropriate

·   Consult with the FOS Superintendent to determine the timelines for re-entry

·   Consult with the FOS Superintendent to determine potential for formal discipline or exclusion

·   The principal will ensure that the following actions, as appropriate, have been considered:

·   Environmental modifications

·   Modification of program for student (IEP, Behaviour Support Plan)

·   Counselling or other appropriate therapeutic intervention

·   Modified school day for student, in consultation with FOS Superintendent

·   Alternate setting

·   Temporary exclusion, suspension, or expulsion, in consultation with the FOS Superintendent, Principal of Special Education and Principal of Safe Schools

·   Consult with the Principal of Safe Schools and/or FOS Superintendent to assess police and/or CAS involvement

·   Review of the IEP

·   Other interventions which the Principal may deem appropriate

 

B.   Employee Debrief

 

The principal/designated staff shall:

·   Conduct a debriefing of the incident within 24 hours with the staff directly impacted and any other pertinent employees, including the Core Team. The principal shall keep a record of the debrief and participating staff sign-off upon completion.

·   Ensure all incidents are reported using the Safe Schools Incident Reporting Form and Employee Incident and Accident form to the Health and Safety Department within 48 hours.

·   Use the Debrief of a Safe School Incident Reporting Form to guide and document the debrief.

·   Ensure that the Behaviour Support Plan and Student Safety Plan were followed, and are updated in response to an incident. Conversation at this level would:

·   Attend to the ongoing physical and emotional needs of those involved

·   Review the adult response to the incident and the adult understanding of the plan which may require Behaviour Support Plan and/or Student Safety Plan and/or revisions, or staff training

·   Communication Protocol

·   Consider student’s re-entry plan, in consultation with the FOS Superintendent

·   The principal will also ensure the following actions, as appropriate, have been considered:

·   Consult with the FOS Superintendent and Human Resources to determine the timelines for return to work

·   Staff training (including revisions to Behaviour Support Plans, Safety Plans, etc.)

·   Provision of Personal Protective Equipment

·   Share information with the employee regarding the Employee Assistance Program

·   Consideration of re-scheduling assignments

·   Other interventions or supports which the Principal may deem appropriate (consultation with FOS Superintendent is recommended)

 

DATA COLLECTION, RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING FORMS FOR VIOLENT INCIDENTS

 

Gathering statistical information regarding students with special education needs, violent incidents and related injuries helps a school system assess their practice. The NCDSB collects and uses data to make improvements to support student learning and reduce the risk of injury to staff and students.

 

a.   The following reporting and record-keeping forms related to student behaviour currently exist:

 

·   Physical Response Form

·   Physical Response Debrief Form

·   Employee Incident Report

·   Safe Schools Incident Reporting Portal

·   Information regarding workplace violence reporting in School Boards

 

b.   These are the primary forms that are to be used by Niagara Catholic employees for tracking, planning and reporting purposes;

c.   The principal shall keep records of communication, meeting minutes, if applicable, and a signed record of staff participation in:

d.   BMS Student Specific Training

·   Staff training on Behaviour Support and Student Safety Plans

·   Team Debrief

·   Communication of Risk of Injury

·   Review of Behaviour Support and Student Safety Plans

 

e.   Original copies of signed documents (Behaviour Support and Safety Plans, training and shared communication) must be stored in one binder in a secure, accessible area in the school office. Copies of Behaviour and Safety Plans may be kept in additional offices and educator supply files, with consideration for security of information.

f.   The Behaviour Support and Student Safety Plans must be filed in the student’s OSR. Upon discontinuation of the plans, they may be removed at the Principal’s discretion.

 

RISK OF INJURY

  staff shall:  

·   Ensure that employees (permanent and occasional) who have direct or indirect contact/support for students who have the potential for aggressive behaviour are informed of the risk of injury when interacting with these students.

·   Ensure that staff members who have direct contact/support for the student with a Safety Plan (e.g., teachers, early childhood educator, educational assistant, board staff supporting the student), including regular and supply staff, have access to the plan prior to the student’s school entry.

·   Maintain a signed record that staff have read these plans and training records where applicable.

·   Identify, where applicable, safety and/or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that employees will wear in the Safety Plan. Information on PPE is available through Special Education Services and the Health and Safety Department.

·   Review health and safety concerns by staff as per the Occupational Health and Safety Administrative Procedure and, where the employee does not believe that the concern is resolved.

·   Convene a meeting to review the Behaviour Support Plan Log and revise the Behaviour Support Plan and Safety Plan, as appropriate, in response to escalating violent aggressive behaviour and/or employee concern of risk of injury.

·   If an employee indicates that they refuse to work with a student(s), they must immediately notify their supervisor and investigate in the presence of a Worker Rep from the Joint Health and Safety Committee as required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition, the principal will inform their FOS Superintendent and Coordinator of Health and Safety. A teacher may not refuse work where the circumstances are such that the life, health or safety of a student is in imminent jeopardy. While a work refusal investigation is initially under way, the principal shall not assign another employee (from any employee group) to supervise the student unless the employee is fully informed of the prior work refusal and agrees to perform the work. This can only be a teacher or ECE member of the Core Team.

 

TRAINING AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

 

The principal/designated staff shall:

 

·   Ensure team members have BMS training before working within the Safety Plan:

o   BMS Theory (online) for a supporting role

o   BMS Physical (in-person) for use of physical containments

·   Ensure BMS training occurs prior to the staff member working with a student who has a Student Safety Plan. Training will typically be completed during the employee’s regular day. In some instances, additional training opportunities may be available to employees in the evening through voluntary offerings.

·   Ensure an occasional/casual/temporary employee has the BMS training and/or experience to meet the physical requirements of the assignment, or the remaining staff members in the classroom can safely supervise the student who presents a “risk-of-injury”.

·   Ensure only BMS Physical trained staff members use a containment with a student who has a Student Safety Plan.

·   Ensure all team members receive instruction and appropriate training to implement the Student Safety Plan. A record of any training undertaken to support the student should also be signed and retained by the principal.

·   Develop contingency plans with staff and parents/guardians/caregivers for those situations in which occasional/casual/temporary employees are not available, or the occasional/casual/temporary employee does not have the training and/or experience to meet the physical requirement of the assignment. This planning should be done before the student begins a program and will include alternative safety measures to be implemented in case of staff absence. Alternatives could include temporary reassignment of existing site staff, or temporarily placing the student in another classroom or location in the school. Alternative plans developed with the parents/guardians/caregivers are part of the ongoing management process for risk of injury.

 

 

 

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SAFETY AUDIT  

 

As part of the ongoing Management of Risk-of-Injury Process, the School Principal should conduct a Learning Environmental Assessment/Safety Audit specific to the student’s needs. Potential threats to the student’s own safety or to others in the general school environment and playground need to be identified and precautionary procedures established.

An initial safety checklist specific to Special Education Students with high behaviour needs should be used to ensure that:

·   IEP and/or Safety Plan emergency procedures have been established

·   Access to the school emergency communication system is available

·   A two-way communication system (for staff in direct contact with the student, as determined in the Risk Review process is in place

·   If possible, provide an alternative learning space for students, staff and visitors away from the situation of risk and establish emergency procedures for relocating students, staff and visitors.

·   Transitions to and from the classroom have been established and practiced

·   In-class movement procedures have been established

·   Movement between staff and student (furniture placement) has been established

·   A quiet area has been established

·   Clear routines for material/equipment use have been established

·   Equipment has been secured (i.e., computer hardware)

·   Alternative learning materials (i.e., safety compass, safety scissors) are being used

·   Washroom access and supervision has been established

·   A safety audit of the classroom and other rooms frequented by the student and the playground have been conducted and supervision has been arranged for all activities and transition times

·   School arrival and departure procedures (i.e., busing) have been established

 

If the school principal requires assistance with the safety audit they should contact the Health & Safety Department  

The school principal is invited to reach out to a member of the Niagara Catholic Integrated Behaviour Team to support the implementation and practical application of this AOP.