There's now a fourth "R" being introduced as a basic in Queensland state schools Respect.
Respect is a key requirement of a new statewide Code of School Behaviour to apply in all state schools from July this year.
The code, as part of the State Government's $3 million Better Behaviour, Better Learning initiative, outlines how students are expected to behave and how parents, principals and schools are expected to help every child achieve their best.
Director of Education Queensland's new Centre for Behaviour Support, Ray Ashford, says the code is a common-sense document developed with the help of parents, teachers and principals.
Mr Ashford says parents are important role models and have an essential part to play in relation to the new code.
"Under the new code, parents are expected to cooperate with their child's school and work with teachers and other staff to help their child reach their potential," he says.
"Students are expected to respect their classmate's right to learn, take responsibility for their own behaviour, and cooperate with staff and other adults in authority.
"Schools are expected to provide a safe place for children to learn and assist students with the skills they need to manage their own behaviour."
President of the Queensland Association of State School Principals, Tony McGruther, says the new code confirms the important partnership between families and schools.
"The new code is not merely about enforcing law and order, but focuses on supporting student learning," Mr McGruther says.
"It's really about developing high standards of behaviour in everyone it's about behaviour development, not behaviour management."
Queensland 's 1300 state schools are revising their existing behaviour plans to ensure they comply with the new statewide code.
Mr Mc Gruther says each school's behaviour plan will outline ways the school will help students behave responsibly, as well as detail school rules and the consequences for breaking them.
"All school behaviour plans will follow a common format and for the first time will be endorsed by senior Education Queensland officers at a district or regional level," he says.
Queensland Catholic and Independent schools have also developed and adopted a range of strategies to manage student behaviour.
In the Catholic Education sector, Living Life to the Full: Personal & Social Development Education Guidelines, published in March 2006, presents a vision for the personal growth and development of students in Catholic schools as resilient young people.
At Sunshine Beach State School students aim to become self-managed. Ways to achieve this are on display in every classroom.
The school outlines in simple terms how students are expected to care for themselves, care for others, their learning and their school with self-evaluation checklists that include such suggestions as:
Principal Sue Pearce says students help make Sunshine Beach State School "a good place to be" by following such suggestions.
"By the time they leave us, we want our students to be happy, confident self-managed individuals and socially responsible citizens," she says.
A copy of the new Code of School Behaviour for state schools is available online.
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© The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and Employment) 2008.