|
Dear Kang Families,
Today I want to address a question I often hear from parents. Parents ask me what happens when a student is in trouble and what to expect when it comes to sharing information about student discipline.
At Lake Washington High School we have a restorative philosophy for matters involving student discipline. That is, our goal is always to "restore" the student to the learning community. One example might be when a student is disruptive in a classroom. Our goal in that situation is to re-teach expectations. To do so, we find out what happened, why it happened, who was harmed, and what the student thinks should be done to repair any harm caused. We work with the student to provide "restoration" that not only helps the student learn how to make better decisions, but also that allows a transition back to that classroom/school environment. Our mission is to keep a student in the classroom so that they do not miss any learning.
There are times when a student does need to be separated from a classroom or from school altogether. In the case of suspension or exclusion, our goal is still to bring the student back to school as soon as is safely possible. When there is a threat to the safety of the student, of other students, or of a staff member, we have processes in place to both assess the level of threat and provide services needed to support the student. Thankfully, these instances are rare. The move away from exclusionary discipline and toward restorative practices is guided by Washington State Law as well as LWSD Policies and Procedures.
Privacy matters to us. Student discipline is private and only shared with people who need to know. This means that we will not tell parents about discipline related to other students. Student discipline records are not accessible to colleges or universities. Employers also do not have access to student discipline records.
As a parent you can expect to hear from the school whenever there is a concern about your student's safety and welfare. You will also hear from us if we have a concern about their behavior, particularly when it interferes with another student's right to a safe and supportive environment.
I know how important it is for parents to know about what is happening in schools. We are here to help provide you with that information. I will do my best to address common questions in the Kang Crier so that you have what you need to feel informed.
Take care, and Go Kangs!
Christine Bell
Principal, Lake Washington High School
Connect with Mrs. Bell at cbell@lwsd.org
| 
