Behavior Management & Special Services
PVMS Behavior Management Policy Summary
At Pioneer Valley Montessori School, behavior management is grounded in Montessori philosophy and aims to guide children with respect, patience, and consistency. The goal is always to foster self-regulation, empathy, and responsibility, while maintaining a safe and nurturing environment for all. The following is a summary for quick reference, all staff are required to review the PVMS Behavior Management Policy in full before supervising any children.
Key Principles of the PVMS Behavior Management Policy
Clear Classroom Expectations
Each classroom establishes ground rules at the start of the year and reinforces them daily through modeling and practice.
Conflict Resolution
Staff approach conflicts calmly and respectfully, helping students name their feelings, restate the problem, and work toward fair solutions. Teachers guide the process rather than impose solutions.
Natural and Logical Consequences
Where possible, students experience the natural results of their actions (e.g., not cleaning up materials results in missing part of circle time). If natural consequences are not safe or practical, staff apply logical consequences directly related to the behavior (e.g., misusing paint at the easel leads to a temporary loss of painting privileges).
Stepwise Interventions
Prohibited Discipline Methods: Corporal punishment, intimidation, humiliation, denial of food or bathroom access, and withholding major program activities are never permitted.
Verbal Redirection: Staff clearly define the behavior and offer appropriate choices.
Breaks for Regulation: A student may step away briefly to calm and regroup. Breaks are not punishments but support tools; staff remain attentive and help the child repair behavior before rejoining.
Parent/Guardian Contact: Families are informed when behavior concerns arise, with an emphasis on collaboration and consistency.
Learning & Behavior Specialist Support: For persistent challenges, the specialist may observe, suggest strategies, or create a Success Plan with staff and families.
Separation from the Classroom: For severe infractions (e.g., significant harm to others), a child may be sent home and a meeting scheduled to create a repair plan.
Documentation: Extreme behaviors (e.g., serious injury, elopement, property damage, repeated aggression) require an Incident Report and parent notification. Minor behaviors (e.g., talking back, small conflicts) do not require formal reports.
Staff Responsibilities
Apply the policy consistently and fairly across classrooms.
Model respectful, positive behavior at all times.
Document serious incidents promptly and communicate with families when necessary.
Participate in ongoing professional development related to behavior management.
All staff are expected to uphold the practices in the full PVMS Behavior Management Policy consistently. Consistent and collaborative use of the policy is key to creating a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment for every child.
The full PVMS Behavior Management Policy is included in Appendix I – Policies, Forms & Procedures and must be reviewed in full annually.
Learning & Behavior Specialist
The Learning & Behavior Specialist (LBS) supports teachers, students, and families by providing guidance around learning differences, behavior strategies, and child development. The LBS observes students, collaborates with teachers, and partners with families to create support plans when needed. They may provide small-group or one-on-one support, attend family meetings, and share resources. Staff should view the LBS as a partner in addressing challenging behaviors, supporting positive classroom management, and fostering student growth.
Prohibited Discipline Methods – Staff Guidance
In addition to following the PVMS Behavior Management Policy, we want to clarify our expectations regarding prohibited discipline methods. As a staff member, you are expected to manage student behavior without using any form of punishment that is physical, humiliating, or restrictive of basic needs. This means that staff members:
Do not use corporal punishment, including spanking.
Do not subject children to cruel or severe treatment, verbal or physical abuse, or neglect.
Do not withhold food or punish children for toileting accidents.
Do not deny children participation in significant parts of the program, such as outdoor play or special activities.
Do not use material items as rewards or punishments.
Do not threaten to contact parents solely to intimidate a child.
Do not confine children to swings, highchairs, cribs, or other equipment.
Do not use traditional “time out” as a discipline technique. If a child needs a break to regulate, escort them to a safe, quiet space until they are ready to rejoin the group.
Following these guidelines ensures that all behavior management is respectful, safe, and developmentally appropriate. Always model calm, consistent, and supportive strategies for children.
Biting Policy – Staff Expectations
Biting is a common but challenging behavior that can occur in early childhood, particularly when children’s language and self-regulation skills are still developing. While it can stem from teething, sensory exploration, frustration, or overstimulation, biting must always be addressed immediately for the safety and wellbeing of all children. Staff are expected to respond calmly, consistently, and professionally to support both the child who was bitten and the child who did the biting.
Staff Response to Biting Incidents
When a biting incident occurs, staff must:
Immediately remove the child who bit from the situation using firm and simple language (e.g., “Biting is not okay. It hurts.”).
Care for the child who was bitten by:
Washing the area with soap and water.
Applying ice if swelling or bruising is present.
Offering comfort and reassurance.
Seeking medical attention if the wound requires it.
Notify both sets of parents (the family of the child who was bitten and the family of the child who bit). **The name of the child who bit must never be disclosed to other parents.**
Document the incident only if necessary and submit the report to the Head of School.
If biting becomes recurring, the incident(s) must also be shared with the Learning & Behavior Specialist (LBS) for review and support.
Staff Follow-Up and Prevention
After each biting incident, staff should:
Review the context of the biting incident (time, location, triggers) with co-teachers.
Consult with the Learning & Behavior Specialist (LBS) if incidents recur, to determine whether changes in supervision, classroom routines, or the environment are needed.
Work directly with the child who bit to help them identify and practice safer alternatives to biting when frustrated or overstimulated.
Communicate respectfully and consistently with families, balancing support for both the biting child’s family and the classroom community.
Incident Reports
Incident reports are important documents and tools for maintaining student safety and an important step in student record keeping. They help the school monitor trends, create a paper trail and communicate clearly with families. Completing this form professionally, accurately, and promptly is essential.
General Guidelines
Use professional language. Avoid casual or colloquial phrases like “bopped a kid on the head.”
Do not use other students’ names when describing events.
Read each question carefully and answer as directed.
Staff should remain vigilant to prevent accidents wherever possible.
For information of when and how to complete an accident report please refer to the Health & Safety section of this document.
Unlike accident reports, which document injuries, incident reports record events resulting from student choices or behaviors that may or may not lead to injury. Incident Reports are used to document extreme behavior, such as causing significant physical injuries, significant physical altercations, repeated verbal and/or physical bullying/harassment, extreme aggressive behavior, eloping from the school premises, property damage, or if the student is found with a dangerous item and/or weapon. When these are used, the parent will be informed of the situation.
Examples: student runs out of the building, bites someone, or pushes a peer down the stairs.
Non-examples: minor behavioral issues (i.e., talking back to the teacher), minor accidents with no injuries (i.e., a student trips and falls, and gets up unhurt/continues on without any issues), routine disagreements/conflicts (i.e., having to be reminded of classroom rules)
Incident Report Process
Anytime during the incident report process you can and should loop in the Learning and Behavior specialist for support if necessary.
Completion of Report:
After the incident has been resolved, the staff member present should complete the incident report thoroughly and sign it.Review by Head of School:
If the Head of School is present, they will review the report to ensure accuracy and completeness. It should only be shared with parents after such a process has been completed. If the Head of School is not available or out of the building the incident report can be kept safe and confidential with the administrative staff until such time of their return.Parent/Guardian Notification:
All incidents that require an incident report must be verbally communicated to parents/guardians.
A copy of the incident report should be shared if requested by the parents or if staff determine it is necessary to provide formal documentation in addition to the verbal notification.
If a copy is shared, the parent/guardian should sign the report to acknowledge receipt and return it.
Submission and Filing:
Once returned, submit the signed report to the main office. A copy will be made for the child’s file, and a copy can be sent home if needed
Bullying
At PVMS, every student has the right to a safe and healthy school environment. Staff are expected to recognize the difference between typical poor behavior and bullying.
Poor behavior might be a one-time incident, such as spitting.
Bullying is repeated, targeted behavior that intimidates, harasses, or harms another student, including:
Physical contact (hitting, shoving)
Verbal assaults (teasing, name-calling)
Social exclusion or manipulation
Cyberbullying
If staff observe bullying or suspect it is occurring, they must closely monitor the situation and report it to the Head of School. Parents of all students involved will be contacted, and a meeting with the teacher and Head of School will be arranged.
PVMS has a Bullying Prevention Plan that can be found in the Appendix II - Handbooks and Plans
Suspension / Withdrawal
When a child’s behavior becomes unmanageable and is not responsive to behavior management techniques, staff are expected to:
Document the behavior thoroughly with observation notes, accident reports and incident reports where appropriate as well as progress report comments and skill tables.
Notify Learning and Behavior Specialist(LBS) and Head of School
Work with the LBS to implement recommended strategies, keeping the Head of school in the loop on progress.
If the behavior persists, parents may be asked to:
Meet with the Head Teacher and LBS and/or Head of School
Seek outside professional advice
Keep the child home temporarily
Withdraw the child from the program
Withdrawal is considered only when the child’s needs cannot be met within the program or the child’s behavior adversely affects the classroom community. Parents will receive written documentation explaining the decision.
Referral Services Procedures
Referrals: Staff initiate observation, documentation, and communicate with families.
If a teacher has concerns that a child may need additional support or specialized services, they should:
Document Observations: Make detailed notes on the child’s behavior, classroom work, and responses to various strategies.
Collaborate: Discuss observations with other classroom teachers and the Head of School to gather additional input.
Support Strategies: Implement reasonable classroom strategies to support the child and monitor for progress.
Once concerns persist, the Head Teacher will:
Document the concerns and recommendations.
Meet with parents to review observations and suggest appropriate screenings or evaluations, including private, public, or insurance-supported options.
Explain parental rights under St. 1972 c. 766 and Early Intervention Programs.
Obtain written parental consent before any referral is made.
Following the meeting, a Parent Conference Summary will be completed and published to the parents. Staff will continue to support the child and collaborate with any service providers, ensuring communication with the Head Teacher throughout the process.