By Rebecca Rider
rebecca.rider@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The much-anticipated restorative classroom pilot program has kicked off. The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education will receive an update about the two restorative classrooms at its Monday work session.

According to documents attached to the board’s online agenda, there are now three classrooms serving students who have behavioral needs — the two restorative classrooms and a separate, day treatment program. All classrooms are located in the same school, according to documents.

One of the classrooms will serve students from kindergarten to second grade, and the other will serve students from third through fifth grade. The classrooms have seven students and six students, respectively — but both are designed to accommodate up to ten. Each classroom is staffed by one teacher and a teacher assistant. The day treatment program is run by Crescent Academy.

According to documents, all programs are supported by a coordinator, a behavior technician, an EC support teacher, a social worker and a behavior support specialist.

The students attend specials, recess and each lunch with their peers.

All students must meet specific criteria before being placed in the restorative classroom or day treatment program including  functional behavior assessment and the formation of a behavior intervention plan. The classrooms work to coordinate therapy with the students and families.

In other business the board:

• Will discuss a rubric to award merit pay to non-certified staff and bonus pay to principals and assistant principals.
• Get an update on how parking fees have been spent among district high schools.
• Hear a presentation from the town of Granite Quarry about partnering for subdivision feasibility planning for a plot of land adjacent to Muskedine Lane owned by the school system.
• Look at a procedure for future land acquisition.
• Get an update on how the new western elementary school will be positioned onto a parcel of land in Cleveland.

The board will meet in the Wallace Educational Board Room, 500 N. Main St. at 1 p.m.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.