Committee members share steps taken in Spruce Mountain schools to address behavioral issues

At Thursday night’s Regional School Unit 73 board meeting, information was shared about the work being done at each Spruce Mountain school to address behavioral issues. From left are Directors Michelle Moffett, Andrew Sylvester, Danielle Brotherton, Holly Morris, Don Emery, Superintendent Scott Albert and Directors Elaine Fitzgerald and Lenia Coates. Advertiser Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls

JAY — At Thursday’s Regional School Unit 73 board meeting, teachers Michelle Brann and Carrie Mitchell shared information about the work of the Behavior Committee and what is being done to improve behavior problems in Spruce Mountain schools.

Brann is a social studies teacher at Spruce Mountain High School, while Mitchell is a third grade teacher at the elementary school.

The the committee was formed last spring. “At our monthly association meetings, teachers, particularly in elementary and elementary schools, have brought behavior issues to every meeting as a major concern,” Mitchell said on June 27.

On the first day of the workshop in August, information was shared about the Maine Dangerous Student Behavior Act, the district’s threat assessment process and the anti-bullying initiative, Brann said. Building-based committees have been formed to focus on different areas of school life, including behavior, she noted.

In high school, vaping was identified as a major area of concern with the vast majority of suspensions for vaping, Mitchell said. “Students who have been suspended for vaping are statistically more likely to be involved in other disciplinary actions, including truancy and insubordination,” she said.

Development of programs and instruction at the middle school to address student behavior continues, with mindfulness, optimism and forgiveness as goals for the building, Mitchell said. The committee plans guest speakers, small group discussions, and one-on-one instruction.

Elementary school staff discussed minor versus major misbehaviors and the updated behavior hierarchy, Mitchell said.

“The school is also trying to use in-school suspension more often and they introduced a new crisis plan for students last year,” she said. “We have also identified the school’s Healthy Living Program as an opportunity to continue the anti-bullying work that has already begun there.”

Elementary school staff received instruction on the trauma-informed crisis system, along with a new behavior consequence matrix and a buddy-teacher protocol that is used as a de-escalation tool, Mitchell noted. They hope to provide more training and use Wednesday’s late arrival time for more work on the crisis system and behavior consequence matrix, she added.

“All school staff were introduced to”The ‘rude, mean and intimidating’ frame first shared by Jenna Cote at last spring’s community forum and worked with students on grade-level appropriate examples,” Brann said.

Other goals include recruiting parents to work with the board on future anti-bullying activities and using the district’s social media accounts to encourage parents to speak up about rude, mean and bullying words and actions, she noted.

There is still much work to be done, but the committee is confident a good start has been made, Brann added.

“Thank you for the work you’ve done so far,” said Board President Don Emery.

“I support you on this all the way,” said Principal Elaine Fitzgerald.

Principal Andrew Sylvester said he also supported the committee’s work.