The Success in School Playbook

This book is for teachers and school teams to use with older students, grades 5 to 10, who do not automatically thrill to the conventions of schooling. The program is designed to communicate the expectations of the classroom - behavioral and academic - so that kids can have the most success as possible in school. Laurie Boyd has led an effective urban middle school for more than 15 years. Her multi-leveled school-wide discipline system provides support for every student, from those who value appropriate behavior to those who can hardly contain their rage or despair. Her system enables every teacher to perform effectively as a classroom manager. The lessons this school staff has learned by keeping their hardest kids in school, in their on-site alternative program, has enabled them to implement highly effective interventions for struggling students, including a successful summer program for maximum promotion of students and this Success in School program for helping all students to start the school year with momentum. Writing procedures, rules, and consequences in a handbook is only a small part of implementing a school-wide system of behavioral supports. The way you communicate those expectations and hold kids accountable to them determines how well they work for you. This is just one way to communicate a school-wide system of expectations to help every child become successful. You may not be able to use it exactly as we designed it for our school, but it will give you ideas for creating your own approach to proactive intervention with your students.