7.1 Ministry Of Community And Social Services (Day Nurseries Act)
7.2 Alta Vista Co-Operative Nursery School
7.3 Agreement To Be Bound
7.4 Contravention Of Behaviour Management Policies
7.5 Monitoring Of Behaviour Management Practices
7.6 Recording Behaviour Management Practices
7.7 Review Of Behaviour Management Policy

Policies and Procedures:

1. There shall be no corporal punishment of a child by an employee of the operator or by another child or group of children.
2. There shall be no deliberate harsh or degrading measures to be used on a child that would humiliate a child or undermine a child's self-respect.
3. There shall be no deprivation of a child of basic needs including food, shelter, clothing or bedding.
4. No one shall lock or permit to be locked for the purpose of confining a child, the exits of a day nursery, or use a locked or lockable room or structure to confine a child who has been withdrawn from other children.
5. Should any child's behaviour cause serious problems and disruption within the classroom, that child's teacher will withdraw the child from the class to talk to that child and explain that her behaviour is inappropriate. The child must understand that she is causing disruption, and once the teacher is satisfied that the child understands this, she will be taken back into the classroom. It is important that staff talk to misbehaving children in a kind and patient manner. If the child's behaviour persists notwithstanding discussions with the child and the child's parents and, the Director feels that behaviour indicates that the child is unable to cope with the program, the Director will consult with the Board and the Board may request that the parents withdraw their child. In such a case all cheques for periods after the date of withdrawal will be returned.

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Guiding Children

• The philosophy of behaviour management in the nursery school is to guide the children in a positive non-threatening way.
• Each child is to play and interact in a socially acceptable manner.
• Expectations for classroom behaviour are clearly stated and gently reinforced.
• When the child's safety or that of another is threatened the situation is discussed and proper conduct stated.
• If the situation occurs again, a "sitting out" time is required.

Discipline

• When a situation requires a "sitting out" time the teacher will interact with the child.
• The teacher will seek all information surrounding the incident.
• The teacher will explain to the child the reason for interaction.
• The teacher will have the child sit out of the group activity but close enough for observation.
• The child will be encouraged to rejoin the activity when appropriate behaviour is possible.
• Parents will be advised when a problem arises.
• Solutions will be sought through parent and teacher cooperation.

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As part of each annual contract with the AVCNS, staff members will be required to sign an attestation stating that they have read and agree to abide by this Behaviour Management Policy and stating that they have also read and understand the consequences arising in the event of contravention.

Students assisting in the program as part of a placement with AVCNS will also be required to sign an attestation stating that they have read and agree to abide by this Behaviour Management Policy and stating that they understand that their placement/participation in the program may be terminated in the event of contravention, as set out in 7.4 below.

Parents/caregivers/ other volunteers (i.e. "duty persons") who work directly with the children: parents will, upon registration of their child for the school year, sign an acknowledgement attesting that they have read and agree to abide by this Behaviour Management Policy, and that they understand the consequences arising from a contravention of the Behaviour Management Policy, whether by a parent or any volunteer which they may send to fulfil duty days, set out in 7.4 below.

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Staff:
Failure by staff to comply with this Behaviour Management Policy will be dealt with as detailed in "Personnel Policy - Discipline, Suspension or Termination Procedure".

Students:
In the event of a serious breach, or in the event of repeated contravention, determined at the discretion of the Director, a student's placement may be terminated by written notice from the Director.

Parents/Duty Persons:
In the event of a failure to comply with this Behaviour Management Policy, duty persons will be given warning of the breach. If the Director in her discretion considers the breach to be serious, or in the event of a continued breach of this policy, a written warning will be given, referring the parent to this Policy and requesting that a special Board meeting be convened, which the Director and the parent/volunteer will attend. At the meeting, the Board may in its discretion require that an acceptable alternate duty person be provided by the parents of the child enrolled, or may terminate enrolment in the school, in which latter case all fees following the date of termination will be refunded.

Notwithstanding any of the above, any allegations of child abuse will be reported to the CAS without delay.

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All staff will have a responsibility to ensure that school policies, including this Behaviour Management Policy, are complied with by all those working directly with the children. The Director will be primarily responsible for monitoring behaviour management practices of the staff, students, duty persons and other volunteers. However, all staff shall be expected to conduct ongoing peer review in this respect. Any concerns regarding the behaviour management practices of any person working directly with the children shall be reported to the Director for appropriate action, as determined by this Policy. Where the Director's behaviour management practices are in question, concerns shall be dealt with in accordance with the Policy "Grievance and Appeals Procedure".

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A record shall be kept of any concern, complaint or incident regarding behaviour management practices, including all steps taken to resolve the matter.

In accordance with the Day Nurseries Act, all persons working directly with the children will receive written feedback on their behaviour management practices i.e. a letter that advises the individual that he/she has or has not complied with the Behaviour Management policy. In cases where an individual has not complied, the letter will be forwarded immediately following the identification of such contravention of the policy. In the cases where individuals have complied, they will be advised upon completion of the school year or upon such time as the individual is no longer associated with the school. Records of any behaviour management matter shall be kept for a minimum of two years.

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Each year, prior to pre-registration for the following school year, the Board of Directors or its designate, together with the Director, shall conduct a review of the Behaviour Management Policy. Amendments approved by the Board will be incorporated into registration materials for the following year. The Board or its designate will, upon completion of the review, sign and date a copy of the Behaviour Management Policy, to be kept on file by the Director.

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