PCS SI Update - July 24, 2025 - Management Procedures Pre-Work

PCS SI Update

Setting the Foundation for Management and Relationships

July 24, 2025

Over the Summer Leadership in June 2025, Don Marlett talked about implementing structures to move from goals into positive outcomes utilizing structures. In talking to leaders in our 4 schools, one challenge that is common among all schools is the need to support our new and under performing teachers in classroom management and in building positive relationships with students. One common theme among our conversations has been considering what kinds of structures and systems need to be implemented for the entire school, for each grade, and for each classroom to make that happen, especially given the number of teachers at the R1 and R2 ratings. The more structure there is, the more consistency we have for students, teachers, and substitutes. The more autonomy we have, the more each classroom can be individualized to meet the needs of each student and class of students. Part of the conversations we will have in the next few weeks is how to strike a balance between both structure and autonomy when it comes to developing structures for Management and Relationships.

The first stage of the PCS SI Management Scope and Sequence is to set the Routines & Procedures 101: Design and Roll out, specifically to Plan & practice critical routines and procedures moment- by- moment and Plan & practice the roll out: how to introduce routine for the first time. Structurally, this stage includes: 1) School-wide Procedures - the SIT determines which procedures are vital for every teacher in the school to align with so each grade level/department has autonomy to determine other procedures; 2) Grade-level/Department Procedures - each grade level/department determines which procedures the entire grade level or department will align with; and 3) Classroom Procedures - which procedures each teacher will determine for their own class.

For the first level of School-wide Procedures, a SIT may have a small committee of leaders determine the procedures for breakfast (getting food, lunch numbers, cleaning up), for lunch (how to enter the cafeteria, noise levels, how to clean up, how to dismiss classes), how to handle tardies and late arrivals, how to monitor students in class changes, procedures on calling parents with regards to steps or minor infractions. These procedures can impact the entire school or several classes at one time, therefore, the appropriate level for these procedures is on the school-wide level.

For the second level of Grade-level/Department Procedures, a grade level or department, like Encore/Specials or EC, determines procedures to align with and follow. These could include procedures like, how to exchange students, bathroom procedures, recess procedures, and beginning and end of class procedures. These procedures help to create consistency and safety for students throughout the day and because students switch classes, alignment helps students, parents, and admin with understanding expectations between teachers.

The final level are the Classroom Procedures that each individual teacher needs to consider, write down and teach their class starting on day one of school. These include procedures like: getting students attention (like with the One Spot Method), collecting materials, passing out technology, absence make-up work, working in groups or collaborative pairs, sharping pencils and throwing away trash, and even classroom jobs. These procedures can help a teacher individualize their classroom culture and help to build positive relationships in their own way.

The level of detail considered at each level often determines the level of clarity and likelihood they will be followed by everyone expected. Writing down each of these procedures offers the clarity needed for students and adults to understand and follow them. Writing them down is also an efficient way to introduce the expectations to new students throughout the year. There are three key things to consider when writing down procedures: a) What will the teacher say and do? b) What will the students be doing? c) What will the teacher do when students don't follow the routine/procedures? (GBF 2.0, p. 97)

One of the things we have talked a little about is the importance of utilizing the experience and knowledge of effective teachers to model what effective written procedures look like while balancing the new and innovative ideas of new teachers in a school or on a team. It's important that every teacher write out procedures and it's also important to support new and underperforming teachers differently in how to further clarify and practice those procedures. It's also important that our R3 and R4 teachers who are successful with classroom management to write down procedures and even to serve as "Champions" to support our R1 and R2 teachers. A couple of resources that can provide ideas to your teachers include: the Procedure Template aligned to The Classroom Management Book and Tch - Procedure Video Examples which is a work in progress in finding links to video examples of procedures. The CM Eppes team developed this CME Procedures 101 presentation outline as a draft for teachers/teams to organize and teach procedures.