Discipline in schools can be difficult, especially when dealing with students with disabilities. In fact, Clash (2006) reported that working with students with disabilities under stringent legal demands has become a source of stress for many principals. The typical principal has not received extensive preservice or inservice training in this area.…

Five years ago, Excelsior Springs (MO) Middle School set a new vision for its future. That marked the beginning of the school's work as a professional learning community (PLC) and has changed its focus and how it measures success. One component of Excelsior Springs's vision is safety: "developing and maintaining a welcoming, orderly, and…

When the author became principal at South Pittsburg High School in the rural southeast corner of Tennessee, he noticed that the school had a serious problem with students arriving late to school in the morning and late to classes during the school day. When this issue was discussed, it was decided that there was a need to initiate a Saturday…

Three years ago, the authors accepted positions as high school principals in Buffalo City (NY) Schools after serving as elementary school principals in the district for many years. In their new positions, they were to lead schools that were designated by the New York State Department of Education as "persistently lowest achieving,"…

Respect! Campaign is a learning program adopted by the leaders and staff members of East Side Community High School. It involves students and staffs in a process to discuss and define what respect means in their community. In this article, the author discusses how the school leaders at the school successfully implement the Respect! Campaign and…

Reactive and exclusionary approaches to discipline are common in secondary schools but do not improve behavior or ensure safety. In this article, the author highlights two promising models that schools can combine to improve climate and discipline for all students. The combined models of PBS (positive behavior support) and RTI (response to…

The overrepresentation of the Black and Hispanic subgroups in suspension data is a national problem and a troubling issue for schools and school systems across the United States. In Maryland, an analysis of student suspensions by school districts for the 2006-2007 school year revealed disproportionality issues. In 23 of the 24 jurisdictions,…

Teachers are a combination of who they are and what they've learned--with a bit more emphasis on what they've learned. It helps to be a born comedian or a motivational speaker, but it isn't necessary. What is necessary is a great desire to teach children and knowledge of how to manage student behavior to keep students engaged academically and…

Inspired by William Glasser's Reality Therapy ideas, Control Theory (CT) is a disciplinary approach that stresses people's ability to control only their own behavior, based on internal motivations to satisfy five basic needs. At one North Dakota high school, CT-trained teachers are the program's best recruiters. (MLH)

Principals should consider redirecting school counselors' responsibilities to include directing safe-school teams; establishing networks to identify at-risk students and violent behavior signs; developing conflict-resolution activities; assessing and counseling misbehaving students; devising crisis- management plans; and helping staff predict and…

In spring 1994, the author was hired to be the assistant principal at McLoughlin Middle School in Medford, Oregon. Disciplinary referrals in the 804-student school were on the rise. Teachers were frustrated, students were anxious, and parents were concerned. Casting about for a solution, she heard about a two-day workshop on schoolwide discipline…

The author conducted a study of reasons why novice teachers become disenchanted with the administrative support in their schools. Using the ideas of Rosenholtz and Simpson (1990) as a basis for his research, the author designed and administered a survey to 53 novice teachers and 15 building principals regarding the factors that influence novice…