Flexibility and mutual respect has been critical as our team coped with membership changes, struggled to find meeting times that worked for everyone and forged ahead to articulate a shared vision. We have learned much from and about each other as we worked together to motivate the PCMS Community to incorporate the whole school positive behavior support program, while embracing all the team and house identities. We have come together well, with patience and determination to iron out differences to produce meaningful outcomes for all. We pay attention to details. Work began in earnest as the 2006-07 school year began. We greeted staff at the start of the year with gifts from their PBS team (PCMS expectation notepads, pencils and PCM pen). At staff meetings, all have been warmly greeted by the PBS team and a raffle ticket that offered incentives such as a massage, an oil change and special PBS gift packs. Our team actively solicits contributions and has been creative in acquiring both student and staff rewards.

Our PBS team is composed of one general education teacher representing each of our three grades, a gifted teacher, the ESE liaison, an ESE teacher that teaches all three grades, the School Social Worker, and one Assistant Principal. One of our members is a department chair and serves as a liaison with that group. The team leader sets and communicates the meeting date, time and agenda; however, “sharing the load” is our motto and each team member has taken the lead to organize and implement a different PBS activity. The Assistant Principal helps keep everything flowing in the right direction, paying attention to administrative details and cheering us on. She provides emotional and technical support. The Principal supports the PBS concept, process and activities. He is kept in the information loop and often attends our monthly meetings. He recently led the group in “mapping out” field day on the board. This helped the event be programmed for success…and it was a great day! Overall, our goal is to take our PBS philosophy and spread it throughout the school to maximize teachable moments related to behavior and character development.

We have used data to provide insight into what is going on with our students, as well as, when, where, why, how and who. Our SWI data is used by this committee regularly, but also by our counselors and administration so they can be proactive in planning for supervision of campus activities and preparing students for various activities/situations to avoid potential problems. Data and PBS team input was used to help determine what to include in the teaching of “anger management” as part of the weekly school-wide character education sequence. This led to the discussion of other behavioral topics, including “Rules at School vs. Rules at Home”. Student surveys also revealed preferred reinforcers. Our “Terrier Tender” (PAWS) mean something to the students. It is a valued commodity. Students want it and what it can get for them. Our 8th graders, especially, have bought into this concept and have sold it to our younger students. Overall, data is reviewed and discussed at every meeting, and at times in between. We are concerns that our SWIS data doesn’t demonstrate the more subtle changes experienced at PCMS. These subtle changes have had a notable impact on our school culture.

2005-06 was our planning year, during which we developed our school expectations & related rules for different school locations and activities, conducted staff training, obtained student input about reinforcers, publicized our mission, ordered reinforcers, reviewed office referral data regularly, and ordered planners with PBS expectations on the first page, so every student has them at all times. We have kept a scrapbook that documents our progress with teaching samples, informative postings, pictures, a newspaper article, our school newspaper, teacher training materials, and special event memorabilia. The school newspaper, the Terrier Times, regularly includes articles about PBS, what it is, why and related activities. Clever PA announcements spark the interest of staff and students about PBS activities. Posters around the school remind all of PCMS’ PBS expectations, rules and rewards.

Our team has a never give up attitude and well-developed work ethic. At different times, different team members have stepped up to take the lead and carry the heaviest work load. No one person has been burdened with all the work, all the time. We are constantly evaluating what we are doing, talking, sharing, revising, planning, adjusting our plan—it’s a continuous cycle of growth. We care about our school and the people in it. We believe in our mission and will go over, under, around or through any obstacle that gets in the way. We believe the PBS process can lead us to a better place. PCMS is a great place to be, but it can be better and we are working toward that end.

We believe we have successfully addressed all components of the PBS process. We have devoted time and energy to teaching students and staff about PBS expectations, in ways that convey the intended meaning, and shared this with parents and the community. We use available data wisely, with integrity, to guide our decision-making. We pay attention to the comments and preferred activities of our staff and students. Where we have excelled the most is in providing regular activity-based reinforcers and provided varying opportunities for all students to participate. Special activities included the October “Picnic on the Patio”, the November Spirit Week activities, the December 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament (using Paw Prints, students could either play on a team or be a spectator) and two opportunities for students to attend school-time drama productions. The February Friendship Drawing allowed some to win movie tickets and stuffed animals. March was a busy month for PBS. Besides the play preview, there was a PBS Field Day, separate for each grade level.