How does your team use data to make decisions on campus? We used our data to help create more balanced classrooms. We also found that a majority of our referrals were from incidents occurring at recess, so our assistants have planned and supervised organized games and activities during outdoor play. Assistants referee, participate and play kickball and other games daily with the students during recess time.

How do you share information with the rest of your faculty (e.g., emails, newsletters, meetings, etc.)?  How often do you share this information? After reviewing the SWIS data, information regarding referrals, high incident times and areas are shared with staff at our regular staff meetings and adjustments regarding coverage and activities for those areas are made. In addition, our Leadership reviews SWIS data regularly and examines the relationship between academics and behavior. Specifically, Leadership analyzes the time, location and nature of repeated occurrences so as to plan together with grade level/related arts teams.

What do you see as the overall strengths of your team?  Please provide details. We have included a diverse group of staff members into our PBS team to include each grade level, guidance, administration, related arts and support staff. Each team member then can report to his or her team about the progress, changes, additions etc. to our PBS program. Our team sets an agenda prior to our monthly meetings and asks each team member for ideas, suggestions or concerns to be discussed before to the meeting (usually via email) so that we all have an opportunity to be prepared for input on those points during the meeting.

In what areas of PBS does your team excel (e.g., rewarding students/staff, teaching expectations, data-based decision-making, etc.)?  Please provide details below. Our procedures and expectations are reinforced daily in our cafeteria. School rules, positive affirmations and campus expectations are recited each morning on our news in the form of “Our School Pledge”. Posters with acronyms have been permanently framed and affixed throughout our campus explaining the rules for each area. Students are rewarded for positive behavior and responsibility in the cafeteria by receiving a fish on their class poster and receive 10 extra minutes of recess for every 10 fish caught. Additionally each classroom has a fish tank in which fish are placed for positive behavior, compliments and success of the class. Each teacher determines what the class reward for a full tank will be, for example, Fun Friday, Popsicle party or other appropriate reward system.  We also have included Friend Friday on our morning news, at which time letters to our AP are read. The letter can be from a student or teacher explaining specific things a student or teacher has done that has made a positive impression on them. Also, our school counselor has been working with a peer mediation/peacemaker team and student ambassadors.   

Discuss the changes you have seen on campus since PBS implementation (e.g., data, climate, morale, etc.). Students feel as if they are stakeholders in our schools positive climate. They are able to clearly communicate our school’s expectations and goals and as such expect their classmates and staff members to adhere to those goals as well.

What are some obstacles that your team has had to overcome?  Please explain the process for overcoming these hurdles below. Our team is finding it difficult to plan monthly meetings that all team members are able to attend. Conflicts in schedules, other IEP meetings or parent conferences often come up unexpectedly. We often try to schedule our meetings for early mornings as there is not enough available teacher coverage to schedule them within the school day.