The school focuses on a model of promoting positive behaviour. Staff recognise that students will develop skills to interact more appropriately with peers and adults when provided with opportunities to develop and practice these skills in a positive and therapeutic school environment.
Positive behaviour is promoted and encouraged in the school through:
- strong positive classroom interactions
- a focus on recognising positive skills and achievements
- an emphasis on modelling and teaching pro-social behaviours.
Classroom behaviour
The development of improved social skills and enhanced work habits are a key focus on classroom programs. Classroom teachers design programs to support students learning in these areas that:
- reflect the philosophies of the school
- meet the individual needs of students
- reflect the individual philosophies and strengths of teachers.
Classroom programs form part of a whole school approach that recognises student achievement for following both school rules and individual goals.
Playground behaviour
Students' behaviour in and around the school is supported using the same philosophies as classroom programs. Students are taught the rules for safe playground behaviour and are rewarded for demonstrating achievement in this area.
Transport behaviour
Many students at Hopetown are transported to and from school on a daily basis by Special Transport Services. It is expected that students follow the same rules and expectations whilst in transit. Students are rewarded through school programs for their behaviour on transport.
Transport rules
- we remain seated at all times
- we cooperate with the driver
- we leave our seatbelt on
- we do not eat or drink in the vehicle
- we follow our school rules.
Whole school behaviour support
Helping students to succeed in behaving appropriately can be difficult and challenging. Like all forms of teaching, it requires skill, persistence, and knowledge. Successful teachers in this field need to be positive, creative, and perceptive; think ahead, anticipate possible ‘failures' and to act to avoid these.
Encouragement program
Hopetown's ‘townie' reward system and a range of home-room based reward programs are integral to promoting student achievement, recognition, self-awareness and self-regulation.
Dealing with unacceptable behaviour
Students are enrolled at Hopetown SSP due to their difficulties in acquiring the skills necessary for socially appropriate behaviour at school. Because of this, Hopetown is committed to a positive approach to managing behaviour of students at the school that is focused on teaching students the skills to manage their own behaviour.
The focus of programs in the school is on students learning to self-manage behaviour within a school and classroom context to enable successful participation in the future years of schooling and as a successful member of the wider community. Hopetown has developed a range of strategies in dealing with unacceptable behaviour that operates on ‘least to most' principles.
The Department of Education's suspension and expulsion of school students procedures still apply at Hopetown but with an emphasis on factors such as the individual needs, disabilities and developmental levels of students.