Student Expectations

Marion Cross is a PBiS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) School

Faculty and Staff work hard to build a positive school climate that motivates children to care about one another and to be contributing responsible members of the school community. 

The community at Marion Cross School’s goal is to create, promote, and maintain a positive, safe, and effective learning environment by establishing behavioral supports and the social culture needed for all students in our school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success. We expect our students to:

Be Kind,

Be Respectful,

Be Responsible,

Be Safe

Discipline

Discipline at Marion Cross teaches students to choose responsible behavior because it is the right thing to do.  Building community is an essential first step in creating this culture.

Staff at Marion Cross build community through morning meetings, teaching expectations, positive reinforcement, and celebrations.  Our goal is for students to feel that they are valued and have a strong sense of connection and belonging.

When a student misbehaves our priority is safety.  We will do our best to support them in developing self control and self discipline.  The positive discipline practices we use usually include a conversation with the child and a plan for the student to take responsibility and make amends. 

Some incidents are recorded via our school wide Behavior Observation and Data Form.  These are completed by school staff and help us track “minor” and “major” referrals.  Some minor and every major referral will be communicated to the parents of the child by the teacher, Associate Principal, or School Principal. 

The Prohibition Against Suspension or Expulsion of Students Younger Than Eight, Act 35 of 2021, prohibits suspension and expulsion of students under eight years old, except in cases of imminent harm or danger to others.  It is best practice for students to remain in school, so philosophically we support this way of thinking.  We will, however, contact families when any child has had a major incident.  The hope is that we can work together to regulate the student, repair any harm done, and avoid future instances of major behavior challenges.

If a student needs a more comprehensive plan to obtain our discipline goals, teachers, parents, and possible (EST) education support team will work together to create the intervention(s) needed to support the student.

Norwich School Board and Marion Cross School Policies

The following policies can be found on BoardDocs:

Bullying and Harassment (Policy JICK)

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (Policy JCDAC)

Administering Medication in School (Policy JLCD) 

Immunizations (Policy JLCB)

The following are Marion Cross School Policies:

Dress Code - All student dress must be neat, clean, in good repair, and in good taste.

Students may be asked to go to the nurse to find clothing from the lost and found that will cover extremely revealing fashions or that will keep a child warm when going outside. If you are in doubt about the suitability of your child’s clothing or appearance on a particular day, please call the school counselor or the school nurse, for guidance.

Elevator

The school elevator is available for use only by the physically disabled, those who are temporarily injured, or adults who have heavy loads. For the safety of all students, no student is permitted to use the elevator without specific permission from the front office.

Animals

Since the health and safety of our students and employees are a top priority, students wishing to bring an animal into school for a special project or show-and-tell must receive prior permission from the Principal. The animal must be removed from the building once the purpose for its visit has been accomplished. Animals without up-to-date rabies protection are not allowed in school.  Dogs and other animals are not allowed on school property, especially during dismissal and drop off.

Safety Drills

Fire and/or other safety drills are held once a month and are practiced for a variety of situations. Once or twice each year we evacuate the whole school to Tracy Hall. Parents are not notified of these dates.

Title IX

Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government.  SAU 70 Director of Student Services, Rhett Darak is the Title IX Coordinator/Human Rights Officer.  If you have questions or concerns, you may contact him by phone: 603-643-6050, ext 4280 or by email.  Please reference School board policies ACAA and ACAA-R (harassment of students) and ACAB and ACAB-R (harassment of employees) for more information.