In response to an increase in discipline referrals and suspensions during the 2015-16 school year, the Wright City R-II School District has formed a Behavior Task Force Group in an effort to better educate and deal with students who pose behavioral risks.The group’s charter was approved unanimously during the board’s monthly meeting Feb. 18, setting in motion the process of evaluating the district’s discipline procedures.The committee consists of 21 members, with Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Hecktor serving as the chairperson.“We shared the data from the last semester and we do have an increase in incidence rates and out-of-school suspensions,” said Superintendent David Buck. “We decided we needed to do something about it, so we formed this committee.”The group’s mission is to study and plan recommendations, according to the Baldric Plan-Do-Study-Act as it relates to behavior and discipline. Committee members will analyze the data trends and current practices to identify the best strategies and programs available for implementation both within and outside the classroom at R-II.“One of the things we are concerned about is that attendance has gone down a little bit and we think that behavior is probably related to that,” said Buck. “There is more diversity of needs and how we have to work specifically with kids who have behavior issues.”Engaging the Plan-Do-Study-Act is a continuous four-step model for carrying out change. The process includes planning a change, implementing it, studying the results and acting upon those results by either maintaining those practices or withdrawing from them and trying another strategy.The group held its initial meeting Feb. 24 and plans to report to the school board April 19 before making its recommendations during the May board meeting. In addition, a regional expert in the field spent two weeks training faculty at Wright City East Elementary in January.“We were already moving down this road, but we’re excited about having this task force in place,” said Buck. “They may recommend policies and procedures and the board can decide whether to move forward with those.”The makeup of the group is such that each level of the district can contribute its input and have a voice in the potential outcomes. However, concern was raised during the board meeting over the fact that only two committee members are not directly affiliated with the school.Hecktor says plans are being discussed to engage more parents or community members in the process.The Behavior Task Force Group meetings are open to the public.R-II School District