School Climate Improvement
Student and Parent Reporting
Parents and Students – to report a concern to our School Climate Specialists, please use the form below.
Ellington Public Schools' School Climate Improvement Plan
The Ellington Board of Education believes schools must support and promote teaching and learning environments where all students thrive academically and socially, have a strong and meaningful voice, and are prepared for lifelong success.
The Ellington Board of Education adopted a new School Climate Policy: 5125 CT School Climate Policy
This policy introduces new language regarding bullying, harassment, and cyberbullying. The new language includes, but is not limited to:
- "Challenging Behavior" means behavior that negatively impacts school climate or interferes, or is at risk of interfering, with the learning or safety of a student or the safety of a school employee.
- “Effective School Climate Improvement” is a restorative process that engages all stakeholders
- “Bullying” means unwanted and aggressive behavior among children in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.
The Ellington Board of Education adopted a Restorative Practices Policy: 5460 Restorative Practices Response Policy
This policy defines restorative practices as:
- "Restorative Practices" means evidence and research-based system-level practices that focus on (A) building high-quality, constructive relationships among the school community, (B) holding each student accountable for any challenging behavior, and (C) ensuring each such student has a role in repairing relationships and reintegrating into the school community.
All employees of the Ellington Board of Education participate in trainings related to Bullying, School Climate, Sexual Harassment, Title IX, and other relevant professional development.
District Improvement
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Multitiered System of Supports (MTSS)
EPS uses a Multi-Tiered Student Supports model to support student academics, behavior, and social-emotional needs. This framework recognizes that all three areas play an important role in the success of students and is intended to create close examination and discussion around student data to determine the root cause behind a student’s needs, allowing for intentional and effective supports to be put in place in order to generate student growth.
The MTSS framework consists of 4 important components: screening, progress monitoring, a multi-level (tiered) prevention system, and data-based decision making. Screening takes place multiple times per year to identify possible students who may be at risk for less than expected learning outcomes. When students demonstrate a need on a screening, further data is collected to confirm a possible need.
The Muti leveled (tiered) prevention portion of MTSS is divided among three tiers. Tier one consists of high-quality academic, social, emotional, and behavioral supports that ALL students receive. Students receiving Tier two supports receive small group or individualized interventions targeting an area of need. A student receiving Tier 3 supports will receive similar help but with greater intensity.
Progress Monitoring is a data collection process that allows schools to assess a student’s overall success, their rate of progress over a particular period of time, and to evaluate the effectiveness of current instruction. For students receiving Tier 2 or 3 services, the rate at which they are monitored increases to provide consistent data points around their progress. Ellington Public Schools uses nationally normed assessments in order to measure student success and growth.
Finally, at every point of the MTSS process data data-based decision-making allows school and district teams to make well-informed decisions about student success, student progress, and the current effectiveness of Tier one supports. This allows district resources to be utilized effectively in areas where there is clear evidence for support.
Ellington Public Schools has systems district-wide to support these areas through the use of academic interventionists, BIT (Behavior Intervention teams), as well as school and district-based attendance teams. By using the MTSS framework, Ellington Public Schools is able to make data-informed decisions that target individual student needs.
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Nondiscrimination Notice
The Ellington Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, national/ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, or disability in its programs, activities, and employment practices as set forth in compliance with the Office of Civil Rights, Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Any person having inquiries concerning the Ellington Public Schools’ compliance with Title VI, Title IX and Section 504, should contact Dr. Kristy LaPorte, Director of Special Services at the Ellington Public Schools, P. O. Box 179, 47 Main Street, Ellington, CT 06029 or (860) 896-2300.