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Prevention Plan

South Valley School 

Prevention Plan 

Our school’s mission is to: 

Support successful transitions for students by partnering with the community and families, resulting in their full engagement, increased independence, self-advocacy, positive self-esteem and responsible citizenship. 

 

Prevention Plan Overview

This prevention plan has been created following Jordan District guidelines, which can be reviewed at wellness.jordandistrict.org.

Our school prioritizes prevention by offering individual support and services to our students and their families. Some of our systems and strategies for supporting students are listed below.

          Our school has prioritized prevention through the following everyday efforts:

  • Basic needs: Breakfast and lunch are available daily in our school cafeteria.  We also provide Principal’s Pantry, Friday Snack Packs, Christmas for Kids and food through donations from Starbucks and Pizza Hut.  
  • Community access/partnerships: Students and staff have access to County Rec Center passes, Salt Lake County Food Handler Permit training, free training passes for UTA buses, TRAX and FrontRunner and Vocational Rehabilitation Pre-ETS training (Pre-Employment Transition Services).  Community partners include over 25 job sites throughout Jordan School District, as well as weekly donations from Starbucks and Pizza Hut through the national Food Donation Connections.
  • Student/family connections: School staff develop close partnerships with parents and caregivers through annual IEP meetings and the use of the REMIND app.  Students develop close relationships with a variety of adults:  administration, office staff, teachers, classroom assistants, job coaches, itinerant staff and bus drivers.  Monthly, a student from each class is chosen as the Student of the Month.  They receive a small prize, are honored in front of their classmates and the principal mails a handwritten note home.  All interested parents are welcome as part of our School Community Council.   
  • School environment:  Student Body Officers are elected each spring.  Students  have the opportunity to join the Yearbook Committee.  Daily, students who do a great job at their job-site are entered into a drawing. Staff provide supervision before and after school and during breakfast.   Staff eat lunch with the students to provide positive role models and teach proper etiquette at meals with friends.  Round tables in the cafeteria promote socialization while standing tables and carpeted steps provide a social gathering place outside of the cafeteria.  The school offers cheerleading, basketball, Special Olympics, and bowling.  A staff member has established an alumni bowling group that meets weekly in the evening. 
  • Our school provides access to District mental health and support resources through Student Services which includes the Jordan Family Education Center Mental Health Access Program.
  • Our school provides access to academic support to help every student succeed.  
  • Our school psychologist is 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 principal and school psychologist  are trained on and review District suicide risk intervention guidelines annually with support from Jordan District’s Student Services Team.
  • Staff are trained in QPR - Question, Persuade and Refer and the school’s suicide protocols are reviewed in staff meetings at the beginning of each semester.  
  • 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.
  • Students are assigned to only one class each day and are often in the same class for several years.  Teachers become well acquainted with students and their families and are aware of stressors and individual circumstances that may affect a student.  

Bullying Prevention Plan

  • Our school team proactively teaches safety and bullying prevention and are aware of vulnerable populations (e.g., racial and ethnic groups, LGBTQ youth, students with disabilities) and specific spaces where bullying may be likely and plan supports accordingly.
  • The school psychologist trains staff annually on school procedures for recognizing, reporting (SafeUT, content monitoring, etc.), and responding to bullying incidents. 
  • 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.
  • The school psychologist provides training on social skills, emotional regulation and bullying prevention. 
  • In response to bullying, we work to help the students through restorative justice and  social connections and provide needed mental health support.  

 

Violence Prevention Plan

  • The school principal is trained on the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (C-STAG), along with other members of our school’s threat assessment team which includes our school psychologist and a classified staff member.  
  • 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 are trained annually on 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.
  • At South Valley School, students have many opportunities to develop social and emotional skills (i.e. respect, empathy, conflict resolution, kindness, assertiveness, etc.), build a sense of community, and resolve conflicts peacefully.  Students have access to a wellness area and a calming room. A school social is held at the start and end of each year for all students during the school day.  A school dance for students and alumni is held in the fall and spring of each school year.