Socialization is an important part of each child’s school experience. Britten School strives to teach and instill socially appropriate behaviors and communication. Therefore, the Britten School experience is viewed as a training and practice ground for these critical social skills. It is the school’s belief that these skills need to be utilized in the child’s home community. Success in community activities will demonstrate the mastery of these social skills and is a factor considered in readiness for transitioning. Some of the activities that provide this opportunity include scouting, sports, community recreation, community volunteering, and part-time employment. When a child at Britten School does not participate in these community settings, his/her development is limited to the relationships found in the school environment.
School authorities not only take an interest in what pupils do off school premises, they also are required by law to do what they can to prevent unproductive behavior by students on or off school premises. Both state and federal court cases have defined unproductive behavior at various times as fighting, using profane language, vandalizing, being disrespectful to school authorities, and abusing younger children. The courts have made it clear that anything which affects the good order and welfare of the school can be construed as a responsibility of school authorities. Under the jurisdiction of school authorities, the test of what constitutes pupil behavior is not when or where an offense occurred, but whether the behavior will affect the good order and welfare of the schools. The school has the authority to deal with student misbehavior from the time they leave their homes for school in the mornings until they arrive at their destination after school.
Britten School faculty members are aware of each student’s special reason for attending the school, and the school environment is manipulated to ensure success. This, however, cannot be ensured when students from the school socialize outside the structured school environment. Further, Britten School believes in the right of each family to be allowed privacy, and to this end we protect that right by not permitting students to exchange phone numbers and/or internet contact information. The school faculty asks parents/guardians to adhere to the same standard.