• Our team was hand selected for behavioral expertise based on passed PBS experience and actual hiring questions regarding PBS.  Our team meets at least monthly during an agreed upon professional development time after school hours for an hour and a half.  This committee also utilizes parent School Advisory Members (SAC) as active members.  Information from this team is then relayed to the greater school via a team meeting concept for each grade level.
• The administrator’s role in the team is that of co-coach and behavioral expert.  He is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).  Beyond that, the administrator has an equal voice, but not superior voice, over any other team member.  We strive to utilize the expertise of every member equally.
• Our PBS team is made up of an administrator, 8 representatives from instructional teams (K-5, related arts, and ESE support), a non-instructional member who is also the safe school assistant, and 2 parent members from the School Advisory Council.

How does your team use data to make decisions on campus?

• Each month data is presented from the data specialist member or from any member submitting an agenda item data related for the team review and analysis.  Solutions are brainstormed and implemented, or at least taken back to the individual grade level teams for further review and input.  The PBS team is given administrative authority over safety and discipline issues, empowered to make changes the team determines are needed.
• We use data to implement PBS in specific settings and for specific students! 
• Ex……..While analyzing SWIS data for referrals at specific settings the PBS team became aware of a high amount of referrals at buses, specifically bus dismissal.  After discussing different options the PBS team decided to have the teachers on duty get on the bus before departure and state our Patriot Pledge and Expectations with the students!  After implementing this, our bus referrals decreased drastically and the bus drivers are complementary for the improvement in student behavior!

How do you share information with the rest of your faculty (e.g., emails, newsletters, meetings, etc.)?  How often do you share this information? Information is shared via PBS meeting minutes on a school – wide share drive.  All school faculty are expected to be versed in the minutes and the school-wide PBS system.  Additionally PBS members report back key issues and information to their teams the next day after the monthly meeting.  PBS members are always available to communicate with Administration, PBS coach, or team leader, information that is more expedient.

What do you see as the overall strengths of your team?  Please provide details.

• We have PBS expertise across the district with team members motivated to work towards the better good of the school.
• As previously mentioned, our co-coach/administrator is a BCBA. 
• Additionally, he attended the IPBS conference this past year and is using concepts from there to positively effect our team, including the check in/out philosophy as a tertiary intervention and reinstituting the PBS team annually with a third new membership.  All members will have three year terms as well.
• Although a new school, the majority of our staff and PBS team had prior PBS experience, and truly believe in the concepts.  Also as mentioned before PBS knowledge and attitude was a part of our interview process for all staff hired into the first year opening of VME.
• Thematic integration into our PBS systems based on patriotism as our school mascot is “Patriots”.  Eagles and Stars represent our individual and peer culture rewards.  Additionally each classroom has a “Patriot of the Week”.
• The School Principal serves on the District PBS committee and was one of the leaders that first brought PBS to Collier County years ago.

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.

• Students are awarded Eagles by all staff for demonstrating school expectations.  Classes are awarded Stars for classrooms demonstrating the same as a group.  This is now a foundation of our school culture through all grade levels.  Common language about expectations is utilized by all staff as well, from the time it was taught via lesson plans prepared by our PBS team during the inaugural summer training until the present.  Posters outlining our PBS expectations are displayed in all common areas and classrooms.  Our students daily repeat the Patriot Pledge during our morning announcements.  Our team passionately pursues ongoing betterment of our system through at least monthly professional learning community meetings analyzing data and making data based decisions.  We additionally research contemporary practice from beyond our school via other schools, behavioral journals, ABA conferences and PBS conferences to infuse fresh, research proven practices into our own systems.

• In recent survey data to parents, students and faculty as administered by our School Advisory Council, 80% or better agreed or strongly agreed that school climate and culture were best practice.
• Eagles, stars and language utilizing our expectations are infused throughout the school day.
• Staff buy-in to our system is 100%.
• Our students want to be in school, and feel happy and safe.
• Out of an instructional staff of nearly 70 people, only one is leaving our school (1% instructional turnover rate).  This person is leaving due to relocation, not job dissatisfaction.
• Out of a non-instructional support staff of nearly 20 people, no one is leaving our school (0% turnover).
• Our positive school culture is a main reason why our capacity has been reached and we are closed to the numerous out of zone requests.

Discuss the changes you have seen on campus since PBS implementation (e.g., data, climate, morale, etc.).

• In short, evidence based on survey data and our Positive Behavior Support system, both enhanced greatly by community involvement; indicate a school culture of students’ truly experiencing best practice academically and socially.
• Being a professional development school in conjunction with FGCU, VME has been recognized and credited about pour PBS system.  FGCU professors asked us to present to their senior interns about PBS and best classroom practices to prepare them for their upcoming teacher classroom challenges.  Our PBS administrator, coach, and team leader were fortunate enough to present our school’s PBS philosophies and beliefs to a room full of senior interns for both the fall and spring semesters.  I was a wonderful rewarding experience!

What are some obstacles that your team has had to overcome?  Please explain the process for overcoming these hurdles below.

• 100% staff buy-in! This was overcome in part as all agreed upon hiring to be proactive in the PBS process.   Additionally we have such expert practitioners; the majority modeling PBS practices was an easy sale and influence to those slower to buy-in.  Research and statistical evidence was provided to all staff via the PBS membership validating our practices.