Riverside is a safe and close-knit school community.  We endeavour to constantly improve the daily experience for students by maintaining a caring but consistent approach to student welfare and discipline.

Based on the model established by world-leading classroom management expert Dr Bill Rogers, the Riverside Adventist School behaviour management and encouragement program is currently being developed.  In 2017, many of the initiatives have already been adapted and put into practice by administration, teachers and support staff.

The basis of any true system of discipline, is ‘discipling’.  In the Bible, Jesus was responsible, as the teacher or ‘Rabbi’ of his young disciples, for improving their hearts and minds.  He changed their lives through example, encouragement and consistent counsel.  He prayed for them, ate with them, celebrated their milestones and held them accountable for mistakes.

At Riverside, before dealing with a student who has operated outside of the school or classroom rules, the teacher will allow a time of quiet ‘cooling off’.  Once the student is calmer, in privacy, the matter is discussed more thoroughly, with the student being asked to explain and reflect upon their actions or words.  Potential consequences are discussed and made clear, if required.  Often, teachers will offer to pray for the student before returning them to their regular routine.

Consequences for inappropriate decisions or actions usually involve a reflective task or physical duty, followed by an effort to ‘make things right’ with those affected.  To maintain communication with the home, timeouts (which are the result of persistent or more serious behaviours) are completed with the Principal and a return slip is sent home to parents for signing.  Each teacher communicates both positive and negative progress to parents whose child has been consistently in need of discipling.