SCHOOL CLIMATE
Deerfield High School

Purposes:

• To provide a warm and caring environment for everyone in the learning community.

• To provide opportunities for all students to participate in positive school experiences, specifically finding ways to help each student find his or her niche.

• To provide a student home base where discussion forums on selected topics are facilitated by adults.

• To enhance adult-to-adult communications in all aspects of our school life.

Description:

Building Positive Student Experiences 2000-20001

DHS is an outstanding high school because of our students, staff and community.  A hallmark of our building culture is the First Class Program which was first implemented eleven years ago.

The First Class Program is not a set of rules to control student behavior.  Instead First Class embodies a set of expectations for the behavior which all individuals, both student and staff, demonstrate within our learning community.  These expectations include the following:

First Class

We treat each other with dignity and respect.

We know our audience when communicating and always use appropriate language.

We keep our school neat and clean.
We solve our problems creatively by stopping, thinking, and discussing our actions.

Participants:

2000-01 First Class Committee

Annual Events:

• Monthly Reception for students who exhibit First Class Behavior

• Monthly First Class Student Parking Space

• Periodic First Class Popcorn Day in the cafeteria.

• Monthly Student Recognition with pictures and vignettes.

Contact Person:

        Heather McKenna – DHS Director of Student Activities

Minutes & Notes:

Notes from 11/14/2000 Long Range Plan Meeting

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SCHOOL CLIMATE
Deerfield High School

Description:

DHS Dialogue Groups 2000-01

In September 1999 DHS embarked upon a journey to expand and strengthen the linkage between students and adults within out learning community.  One hundred and eight staff members volunteered to work with students in communication groups which were called “processing groups”.  During the initial experimental year a great deal of information was gathered through the work of the processing group steering committee, multiple faculty feedback sessions, a student end of the year survey and a summer workshop.  A product of this information was the decision to change the name of the groups to “Dialogue Groups” instead of “Processing Groups.”  It was felt this name change would more closely align our work with the simultaneous effort occurring at our sister school, High Park High School.  The Steering Committee also believed the name “Dialogue Groups” would sound less clinical and more closely reflect the spirit of the overall program.

The Steering Committee also crafted a goal statement for “Dialogue Groups”:

“The goal of dialogue groups is to assemble all members of our DHS community into safe caring discussion environments where we can share ideas and receive feedback on topics pertinent to adolescents and school life.  Together, we will strive to grow by respecting differences, developing new relationships and learning from each other.”

A Commitment to Character

We believe character begins with honesty, integrity, personal responsibility, and respect for others.

We share the commitment to recognize, model and nurture character in the Deerfield High School community.

We will create an atmosphere that encourages ethical decision-making and fosters social responsibility.

Participants:

2000-01 Dialogue Group Steering Committee

Annual Events:

• Six sessions of Dialogue Group meetings each year

• Monthly Dialogue Group Steering Committee Meetings

• Periodic Dialogue Group Meetings as needed in times of crisis

Contact Persons:

            Heather McKenna & Neil Rigler – Committee Co-chairs

Minutes & Notes:

Notes from 02/01/01 Long Range Plan Meeting

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page last updated 05/01/2001