Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of
students and parents.

1. Have the rules changed this year?
2. What are refocus sheets?
3. This sounds like a very time consuming process, is it?
4. Does the demerit system still exist?
5. Why Time To Teach and Universals?
6. What happens if I mess up big time?
7. What is the benching policy?

Have the rules changed this year?

No, the rules haven't changed.  We have incorporated them into a set of 
universals that tell us what it means to have Irish Pride and be a student 
at Our Lady of Lourdes School.  We are respectful.  We are responsible.  We 
are compassionate.  We are honest.  What these universals look like and 
sound like varies from one school setting to another.  Being respectful 
looks and sounds differently in the classroom than it does at recess.

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What are refocus sheets?

When a student chooses not to follow the rules, s/he is reminded of the 
reason for the rule and given the opportunity to make a better choice.  If 
they persist in their bad choice, they receive a refocus sheet and they are 
asked to leave the room.  Each teacher has a specific "refocusing
partner". 
The student reports to that room.   The refocus sheet must be filled out and 
accepted by the issuing teacher before the student can return to class.

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This sounds like a very time consuming process, is it?

In reality, the system provides the student with a few minutes of "time 
out".  This allows him/her to extricate themselves with a minimum of 
embarassment.  It also means that the student always knows what lead to the 
consequence.  Teaching the behavorial expectations does take some time at 
the beginning of the year but this eliminates the repetition and "I don't 
know what I did" problems later in the year.  "Refocusing"
expectations are 
also taught.  Students with refocus sheets are ignored by students in the 
refocusing partner's classroom and they are away from their original 
classmates.  This means that their negative choices earn them a minimum of 
attention.

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Does the demerit system still exist?

Refocusing is part of the demerit system in grades 6-8.  A student who 
receives three refocus sheets in one day automatically receives 5 demerits 
thereby earning detention.  Middle Schoolers who receive 5 refocus sheets 
(regardless of the time period) will receive three demerits. Actions that 
endanger  others don't simply get refocused.

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Why Time To Teach and Universals?

The staff wanted a way to improve consistency of discipline throughout the 
school.  By designating "shared areas" (lunchroom, hall, dismissal,
Mass 
etc) we were able to decide on behavioral expectations that all the staff 
would teach, model, and monitor.  If we expect our students to behave in a
certain way, we must teach these expectations to them. Of course differing
grade levels mean that some expectations vary from one classroom to the next.
Time To Teach accommodates these differences because the routines are based on
the "needs" of students and teachers.  For example, classes need to move
through the hall very quietly because other students are working.  Universals
allow us to show the students that, while routines may vary from setting to
setting, the need for the routines remains the same.  The requirement to show
Irish Pride - to be respectful, responsible,  compassionate, and honest - does
not change.    Irish Pride is what makes us unique as a school community.

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What happens if I mess up big time?

All choices have consequences that are a natural result of the choice that 
was made.  These consequences vary depending on the circumstances 
surrounding the choice. Concentrate on living up to the ideals of Irish 
Pride - Ask yourself if your choice shows respect, responsibility, 
compassion and honesty before you make it - and the consequences will take 
care of themselves.

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What is the benching policy?

Benching can apply to any extra-curricular activity.  Those families with 
students participating in the Sports program receive a written description 
of the benching rules.  In a nutshell, a student will be benched if his/her
cumulative average in the six core subjects falls below 73% or if an
individual subject average falls below 65%.  Averages are checked on Thursdays
and reported to the principal on Friday morning. The office notifies the
student, the parents and the coach. The benching lasts until the student's
grades are once again acceptable. Students can be benched 
for reasons other than academic progress and those benching periods can be 
of different lengths depending on the situation.

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