Columbia Prevention Plan 2022-23
Our school’s mission is to:
Partner with faculty, students, and families to launch academic achievement and social confidence in a safe learning environment. This partnership will enable our students to become happy, successful, productive citizens.
Prevention Plan Overview
Columbia Elementary is doing many things to build students’ social, emotional and behavioral skills, address student basic needs, and facilitate relationship-driven, learning-focused and data-informed decision making processes. Through regular daily practices, extra-curricular activities, individualized student support services, and collaboration with families and community organizations, we aim to prevent suicide, bullying and violence within our school community.
Our school prioritizes prevention by offering support and services to our students and their families. Some of our everyday efforts, the systems and strategies for supporting our students are listed below:
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) practices, including but not limited to school wide behavior expectations, school wide structure for addressing behavioral concerns, posters hung throughout the building with explicit expectations for specific areas (i.e.-Bathrooms, hallways, lunchroom, etc), explicit teaching of school wide and classroom rules, regular review of school rules.
- Wellness Room–a safe place which helps students with dysregulated emotions and behavior return to optimal zones of regulation, outside of their classroom. The Wellness Room also helps students in the identification of emotions/feelings that indicate a need for a visit.
- The Ron Clark Academy House System–Students and staff were all “sorted” into 8 different houses at the start of the school year, with each house representing a variety of grade levels and staff members. The idea surrounding this is to facilitate relationships and community between students and staff of varying grade levels and specialties.
- House meetings occur most every Friday, in which staff members and student council representatives teach lessons focusing on social-emotional skills and wellness. These lessons aim to increase cooperation, friendships and community across grade levels. Houses (led by student council) have each created a cheer, which focuses on traits unique to each house, and are shared with the entire school.
- Students and staff earn “house points” for a variety of things, including, but not limited to academic achievement, kindness, interpersonal skills, etc. Houses with the most points earn rewards and incentives and are celebrated at school wide assemblies, which occur 1x/month.
- House Assemblies occur once a month. Students and staff dote their house color, and sit with one another during the assemblies. Each month, a different house will be highlighted, and at the monthly assembly, student awards are given, celebrating a variety of skills and achievements. House assemblies also include fun activities to reward positive behavior and application of skills learned, such as minute-to-win-it games, team building activities, and even allowing adults to be pied!
- School Store/Astro Bucks–A school wide token economy system to reinforce students following school rules, being kind to others, helping around the school, etc. Once a month, students are able to visit our “School Store” and purchase a variety of items. Items are donated by faculty and staff, community members, and anonymous donors.
- Student Leadership Opportunities–Secret Kindness Agents, Student Council, Safety Patrol
- Extra-Curricular Opportunities–STEM Club, Choir, Orchestra
- School Wide Programs to meet the basic needs of students are implemented throughout the year. These include Food Bank, Operation School Bell, Secret Santa Christmas Program, Thanksgiving meals, weekly food bags provided by KidsEat, hygiene kits for students in grades 4-6, Smart Smiles (dental care), and more.
- Our school uses Educator’s Handbook data management to identify students in need of additional support.
- Our school provides access to District mental health and support resources through Student Services which includes the Jordan Family Education Center and Mental Health Access Program.
- Our school provides access to academic support with District departments to support the success of every student.
- Our school’s mental health providers (school counselors, school psychologists, or clinical support) are trained and supported by District administration to follow current best practices in prevention and intervention efforts.
- Our school intervenes with early warning, content monitoring, and anonymous reporting tools with support from District specialists to identify and support students who may be at risk.
- Our school provides access to parent and family resources including a District partnership with the Cook Center for Human Connection, evening parent seminars, and classes through the Jordan Family Education Center.
Suicide Prevention Plan
- Our school’s mental health providers and administrators are trained on and review District suicide risk intervention guidelines annually with support from Jordan District’s Student Services Team.
- During the 2022-2023 school year, faculty and staff will be provided specific professional development on Second Step, which will then be utilized in classrooms.
- Columbia holds weekly behavior team meetings (every Tuesday, from 8:30-9:00am). This team includes the school psychologist, social worker, and at least one administrator. Teachers are also welcome to attend these meetings, or, they can communicate needs/concerns to one of the above-mentioned team members prior to the meeting.
- Regular content monitoring while students utilize Chromebooks.
- Administration follow up on any referrals received from the district BARK representative. BARK is a content monitoring tool that Jordan School District utilizes.
- All of our school’s licensed staff participate in suicide prevention training (QPR) for their license renewal.
- Students identified who may be at risk of suicide receive interventions and support appropriate to their individual needs which may include a screening interview (CSSR-S), parent/guardian contact, a safety plan, mental health recommendations/referrals (JFEC, MHAP, etc.), a re-entry meeting, and regular follow-up.
- Regular counseling services offered to students identified as being at risk, or showing potential signs of distress, through school psychologist or social worker.
- Students identified as being at risk participate in daily check-ins with an adult, including the school psychologist, social worker, or an administrator.
- The Ron Clark Academy House System–Students and staff were all “sorted” into 8 different houses at the start of the school year, with each house representing a variety of grade levels and staff members. The idea surrounding this is to facilitate relationships and community between students and staff of varying grade levels and specialties.
- House meetings occur most every Friday, in which staff members and student council representatives teach lessons focusing on social-emotional skills and wellness. These lessons aim to increase cooperation, friendships and community across grade levels. Houses (led by student council) have each created a cheer, which focuses on traits unique to each house, and are shared with the entire school.
- Students and staff earn “house points” for a variety of things, including, but not limited to academic achievement, kindness, interpersonal skills, etc. Houses with the most points earn rewards and incentives and are celebrated at school wide assemblies, which occur 1x/month.
- House Assemblies occur once a month. Students and staff dote their house color, and sit with one another during the assemblies. Each month, a different house will be highlighted, and at the monthly assembly, student awards are given, celebrating a variety of skills and achievements. House assemblies also include fun activities to reward positive behavior and application of skills learned, such as minute-to-win-it games, team building activities, and even allowing adults to be pied!
Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination Prevention Plan
- Our school team proactively reviews relevant data on school climate, safety, and bullying by identifying vulnerable populations (e.g., racial and ethnic groups, LGBTQ youth, students with disabilities) and specific spaces where bullying may be likely to plan supports accordingly.
- Our school’s staff is trained on school procedures for recognizing, reporting (SafeUT, content monitoring, etc.), and responding to bullying incidents. The faculty and staff of Columbia Elementary receive regular professional development surrounding social, emotional and behavioral development. These professional development opportunities are included in faculty meetings, are part of teacher development the week before student attendance, and throughout the year during district mandated professional development days.
- Columbia Elementary utilizes Educator’s Handbook data management to identify students in need of additional support. Our school staff documents incidents in Skyward according to State requirements.
- As issues are reported and logged, parent contact is made.
- Preventative measures–At Columbia Elementary, D.A.R.E. is taught to all 5th grade students through our school Student Resource Officer (SRO), Officer Wallace, and is sponsored by West Jordan Police Department. Additionally, Gang Prevention and Social Emotional Skills & Wellness classes are offered through West Jordan Police Department to 6th grade students.
- Students involved in incidents of bullying as targets, aggressors, or witnesses receive support for their individual needs which may include suicide risk assessments, counseling and mental health services (i.e. school mental health team, JFEC, MHAP), Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), a student wellness plan and/or parent/guardian contact—recognizing that targets, aggressors, and witnesses of bullying are more susceptible to school problems.
- Daily behavior trackers/check-ins are available for students as needed.
- Secret Agents of Kindness is a student group that focuses on providing kindness to students, faculty and staff, and family members in our school building.
- Red Ribbon Week is sponsored yearly by Columbia’s PTA.
- Reinforcement of positive behavior can be seen throughout the school, through House Points, Astro Bucks, tokens, Principal’s Pride, etc.
- Columbia holds weekly behavior team meetings (every Tuesday, from 8:30-9:00am). This team includes the school psychologist, social worker, and at least one administrator. Teachers are also welcome to attend these meetings, or, they can communicate needs/concerns to one of the above-mentioned team members prior to the meeting.
- The Ron Clark Academy House System–Students and staff were all “sorted” into 8 different houses at the start of the school year, with each house representing a variety of grade levels and staff members. The idea surrounding this is to facilitate relationships and community between students and staff of varying grade levels and specialties.
- House meetings occur most every Friday, in which staff members and student council representatives teach lessons focusing on social-emotional skills and wellness. These lessons aim to increase cooperation, friendships and community across grade levels. Houses (led by student council) have each created a cheer, which focuses on traits unique to each house, and are shared with the entire school.
- Students and staff earn “house points” for a variety of things, including, but not limited to academic achievement, kindness, interpersonal skills, etc. Houses with the most points earn rewards and incentives and are celebrated at school wide assemblies, which occur 1x/month.
- House Assemblies occur once a month. Students and staff dote their house color, and sit with one another during the assemblies. Each month, a different house will be highlighted, and at the monthly assembly, student awards are given, celebrating a variety of skills and achievements. House assemblies also include fun activities to reward positive behavior and application of skills learned, such as minute-to-win-it games, team building activities, and even allowing adults to be pied!
Violence Prevention Plan
- Our school’s administrators are trained on the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (C-STAG), along with other members of our school’s threat assessment team which includes: administration, school psychologist, social worker, and an instructional coach.
- Our school has a process for timely response to school threats using Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (C-STAG) and its decision tree. This includes warning potential victims and their parents/guardians.
- Our school’s staff and students are aware of school procedures for recognizing and reporting (SafeUT, content monitoring etc.) threats of violence.
- Students who are affected by or who make threats of violence receive interventions and support appropriate to their individual needs which may include problem solving, C-STAG interviews, suicide risk assessments, Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), Restorative Conferencing, Mediation, a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), counseling and mental health services (i.e. school mental health team, JFEC, MHAP) a student wellness plan and/or parent contact.
- The Ron Clark Academy House System–Students and staff were all “sorted” into 8 different houses at the start of the school year, with each house representing a variety of grade levels and staff members. The idea surrounding this is to facilitate relationships and community between students and staff of varying grade levels and specialties.
- House meetings occur most every Friday, in which staff members and student council representatives teach lessons focusing on social-emotional skills and wellness. These lessons aim to increase cooperation, friendships and community across grade levels. Houses (led by student council) have each created a cheer, which focuses on traits unique to each house, and are shared with the entire school.
- Students and staff earn “house points” for a variety of things, including, but not limited to academic achievement, kindness, interpersonal skills, etc. Houses with the most points earn rewards and incentives and are celebrated at school wide assemblies, which occur 1x/month.
- House Assemblies occur once a month. Students and staff dote their house color, and sit with one another during the assemblies. Each month, a different house will be highlighted, and at the monthly assembly, student awards are given, celebrating a variety of skills and achievements. House assemblies also include fun activities to reward positive behavior and application of skills learned, such as minute-to-win-it games, team building activities, and even allowing adults to be pied!
Additional Strategies
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- PTA sponsored events, such as Red Ribbon Week.
- Regularly-scheduled PTA Meetings, held in the Columbia Faculty Room–OR–join via Zoom; 2:30-3:30pm
- November 11th, 2022
- December 9th, 2022
- January 13th, 2023
- February—TBA
- March 10th, 2023
- April 14th, 2023
- May 12th, 2023
- Regularly scheduled School Community Council Meetings, held in the Columbia Media Center; 4:15pm
- November 15th, 2022
- January 23rd, 2023
- March 21st, 2023
- Regularly-scheduled parent and family engagement events.
- December 1st, 2022–Cultural Night, 5:30-7:00pm
- April 11th, 2023–Classic Skate Night!
- April 20th, 2023–STEM Night, 5:30-7:00pm
This prevention plan has been created following Jordan District guidelines, which can be reviewed at wellness.jordandistrict.org.
School Wide Rewards
- Token Treasure Tower
- Columbia Reading Program
- Star Sightings
Columbia adheres to and follows Jordan District policy. Listed below are some of the major policies that every parent is advised to understand.
AA419 - Student Conduct and Dress Code
AS98 - Bullying and Cyberbullying
AA432 - Student Attendance and Teacher Disclosure Statements
The Utah State Board of Education may grant an educator one of the following education licenses:
- Professional Educator License – a license issued to an individual who has demonstrated all of the State established competencies to be an educator.
- Associate Educator License – a license issued to an individual who has met a minimum set of educator requirements and is completing all professional educator requirements to receive a Professional Educator License.
- Local Education Agency (LEA)-specific Educator License – a license issued to an individual, approved by the local Board of Education, who has met locally defined competencies to be an educator.
An LEA-specific license area or endorsement may include:
- Out of State and Internationally licensed educators completing Utah licensing requirements.
- Educators waiting for university license recommendations.
- Educators with expired Utah licenses.
- Educators working towards an Associate license area/endorsement.
- Career and Technical Education educators completing skills testing.
- Educators waiting to begin a university licensure program.
Schools may employ individuals holding LEA-specific Educator Licenses, as well as Professional and Associate Educator Licenses, as outlined below based on the employee’s FTE:
| Location | Type | Fully Qualified | Educators who are teaching under LEA Specific or are not Qualified | Educators in an Associate Program to become Professional Qualified | ||||
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Elementary |
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- Jordan School District Policy DP379-LEA-Specific (Jordan) Educator License Requirements
- Utah State Board of Education Utah Educator Look-up Tool