Here at Eden Central School, our staff uses a variety of strategies to create a positive learning environment where each and every student, team member, and guest feels a sense of belonging, value, and voice. One of those strategies is called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, or PBIS.
PBIS is an approach, not a program. It is a set of strategies that are applied across settings by all staff members. The approach begins with our three schoolwide agreements, which are:
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Show Respect
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Have a Safe Body
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Have Fun While Learning
We work hard to help students understand what each of these agreements mean, and how they look the same and different across settings. In order to do this work, we created this matrix that provides some detail and examples of each agreement, in each setting, such as the classroom, recess and lunch, the bus, hallways, field trips, assemblies, the cafeteria and more. We use this matrix to help proactively teach, model and practice expected behaviors. ALL means ALL. These agreements apply to students AND staff. (And especially the principal, who gets called out (as he should!) quite quickly by students when he moves a bit too quickly or noisily down the hall, for example! We are definitely in this together!
Our students consistently work hard to continue the routines and agreements that they are taught and are occasionally recognized through our schoolwide acknowledgment system. That system includes staff members giving students paper feathers when they are observed behaving in ways that align with our agreements. Those paper feathers are accompanied by reinforcing language that helps students understand the specific agreement and behavior that they are being praised for and should continue. In addition to taking great individual pride in earning a feather, the accumulation of classroom feathers earns an occasional classroom celebration, which, in turn, contributes to everyone earning a schoolwide celebration. Earned feathers are proudly displayed in each classroom as they accumulate. Currently, we have a giant puzzle on the wall in our hallway. As classes earn a celebration, they remove a puzzle piece to begin to reveal our larger schoolwide celebration, too!
The acknowledgment system is an intermittent one. Students are not recognized every time their behavior aligns. Rather, intermittently, or occasionally. Over time, every student should be recognized for their positive contributions to our school community.
We revisit our agreements in the classrooms as needed, reteaching and practicing the skills needed to have a successful school day. These instructional “refresher” opportunities often occur after extended vacations or anytime that a little “boost” is needed. We also revisit the agreements after unexpected behaviors, and I’ll write more about that next week.
Won’t you join us in thinking about how your child shows respect, has a safe body, and has fun while learning at home? As families and caregivers, I appreciate the many wonderful connections you help your children make between their home and school experiences. Incorporating a bit of this PBIS approach is one more way to build consistency for our students. (And, if you want some paper feathers to give out at home, let me know! I’ve got you covered!)
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions. Our schoolwide agreements and acknowledgment system are only two of the many pieces of our PBIS work, and I am excited to continue sharing other elements of this approach in future newsletters.
Thank you for your incredible support of our students and school.