Richland Elementary School implements proactive strategies for teaching and supporting student behaviors to create a safe and nurturing school environment. Our goal is to provide consistent, positive behavior supports throughout the school day. We have established the social and behavioral structures students need to grow and excel. We provide multiple tiers of prevention and intervention as well as school-wide procedures and specialized and individualized disciplinary actions.

Classroom Behavior Program

Each teacher has a specific classroom behavior plan. It incorporates teacher/student expectations, a hierarchy of consequences for students who break the rules, and positive reinforcement. The plan should also contain a "severe clause" for serious behavior issues. The student may be referred to the Principal or Assistant Principal for help in resolving behavior that interferes with learning. If you have a question regarding a discipline procedure, please contact your child's teacher. You should expect a Classroom Behavior Plan to be sent home within the first two weeks of school.

Restorative Practices

Richland uses restorative practices as a framework for building community and for responding to challenging behavior through dialogue, coming to understanding, and making things right.  Teachers engage in restorative circles with their classes weekly to build community, teach restorative concepts and skills, and set things right when there is conflict.  School administrators utilize restorative practices to engage students in resolving conflicts and repairing relationships. 

Rules and Expectations for Common Areas

Our Motto at Richland is to live “The Mustang Way”, which means “A leader does the right thing even when nobody's looking. Think before you act - Ask yourself:  Is it safe?  Is it honest?  Is it respectful?”

We have three schoolwide rules:

• Be Safe

• Be Honest

• Be Respectful

We believe these three rules cover all manners of behavior and set the standard for what is expected… leading children to live The Mustang Way. Please review the Richland Rules & Expectations Matrix for more information.

Technology

School chromebooks are for school use only and must be properly taken care of. Please ensure that your child charges their chromebook every night before coming to school. Cell phones and Smartwatches must remain off while on campus, and cell phones put away in backpacks. Students are not allowed to text or make phone calls from their personal devices during the school day. Students are prohibited from taking pictures of and/or recording any individual on school grounds. Electronics (chromebooks, phones, smart watches, etc.) may not be used before school or at dismissal time.

Dress and Grooming at School

Students are required to show proper attention to cleanliness, health, neatness, safety, and appropriateness of clothing and appearance for school activities. A well-groomed appearance is important in developing a positive self-image and compliments the school's instructional program.

• Dress should be appropriate for the season and the occasion. Extreme styles that may disrupt the educational process or any other school activity are prohibited.
• Clothes must present a well-groomed appearance.
• Revealing clothing is not permitted. Shoulder straps must be at least 2 inches wide.
• Clothing and hats that are offensive or may promote gangs, drugs, or alcohol are not permitted on campus.
• Sandals may be worn only if they have a front and back strap. However, tennis shoes are far safer and enable greater participation in P.E. Students may not wear flip-flops.

The administration is the final authority when a difference of opinion arises. When a violation of the dress guidelines occurs, the students will be required to correct this by calling home for the proper attire.

Safe and Drug Free

Our goal is to provide a safe and drug free environment for all our students. Students who attempt to bring drugs, alcohol, or weapons to school may be arrested by a Sheriff's Deputy, suspended from school, and expelled for up to one full year.

Tobacco Free School

Richland Elementary recognizes the health hazards related to the use of tobacco, including the breathing of second-hand smoke. We are a tobacco-free school, which means we do not allow smoking or vaping in the classrooms or on the campus at any time. In addition, we provide educational information to our students through classroom instruction and activities. Our school has information available in the school office about programs that support adults who desire to stop smoking.

Grounds for Suspension/Expulsion California Education Code 48900

A student can be suspended from school by the principal or designee if it has been determined that the student, while on school grounds or during an activity off school grounds related to school attendance has:

• Caused, attempted to cause or threatened to cause physical injury to another person or willfully used force or violence to another person.
• Possessed, sold or otherwise furnished any firearm, knife explosive, or other dangerous object.
• Unlawfully possessed, used, sold or otherwise furnished, or was under the influence of any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant of any kind.
• Unlawfully offered or arranged or negotiated to sell any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant of any kind, and then sold, delivered, or otherwise furnished to any person another liquid substance, or material and represented the liquid substance or material as a controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant.
• Committed robbery or attempted to commit robbery or extortion.
• Caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or private property.
• Stole or attempted to steal school property or private property.
• Possessed or used tobacco or any products containing tobacco or nicotine products.
• Committed an obscene act or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
• Unlawfully possessed or unlawfully offered arranged or negotiated to sell any drug paraphernalia.
• Disrupted school activities, or willfully defied the authority of school personnel (grades 4 and 5 ).
• Knowingly received stolen school property or private property.
• Possessed an imitation firearm (reasonable person concludes replica is a firearm).
• Committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault.
• Harassed, threatened, or intimidated a pupil who is a complaining witness in a school disciplinary proceeding.
• Unlawfully offered, arranged to sell, negotiated to sell, or sold a prescription drug.
• Engaged in, or attempted to engage in, hazing, as defined in Section 32050.
• Engaged in an act of bullying.

The following offenses only apply to students in Grades 4-12:

• Disrupted school activities or willfully defied the authority of school personnel
• Committed sexual harassment.
• Caused, attempted to cause, threatened to cause or participate in an act of hate violence.
• Intentionally engaged in harassment, threats, or intimidation directed against a pupil or group of pupils.
• Terroristic threats against school officials, or school property or both.