Editor's note: The following Q&A is derived from information provided by the Monroe school district about Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Two more topics in the series will follow: Grading, May 20; and safety, June 3. Stories on collaboration time and technology were published previously.
MONROE - Since 2008, the School District of Monroe has been working to implement a proactive approach to establishing behavioral supports and social culture called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This highly structured school-wide system serves to enhance social, emotional and academic success for all students. Much time and effort has been invested in developing meaningful and impactful supports and district-level data suggests that this system has been highly effective.
Why does the district have to teach kids to be good?
Parents and educators often ask, "Why should I have to teach kids to be good? They already know what they are supposed to do. Why can't I just expect good behavior?" The reality is that many students come to school without those important behavioral and interpersonal skills that are necessary to be successful members of their school and community. As educators, we have a responsibility to educate the whole child to ensure that they are prepared to for the future. PBIS provides an efficient and effective means to address these needs while establishing common expectations and developing desirable character attributes.
How does PBIS work?
In the past, school-wide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies including reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions and expulsions. But research has shown that using punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective.
Introducing, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important step of a student's educational experience. Defining, teaching and supporting behavioral expectations is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding. The purpose of PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.
What behaviors does PBIS encourage?
Over the last several years, the district has chosen to focus on positive skill-building to develop the character attributes that our community values. Students are engaged in activities and projects that emphasize cooperation, collaboration, communication, diversity, tolerance and empathy. This work results in positive action versus a focus on what not to do, and students feel empowered to change their school and their world for the better.
While PBIS clearly emphasizes a positive, proactive approach, it is important to note that violations of rules and expectations are still addressed. Through the explicit teaching of expectations, students have a clear understanding of the school rules. This practice alone leads to improved behavioral responses from the students. When students do violate a rule, there are specific and logical consequences that are administered immediately.
How do you know if it's working?
While PBIS is used in schools across the world, it is by no means a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Each building in the School District of Monroe has a PBIS team that works to develop a system that will be appropriate and authentic for the students they serve. There are differences in the social-emotional and behavioral needs across developmental levels and even across the three elementary school buildings.
These differences necessitate the analysis of building-level behavioral data. This data analysis is critical to the success of the PBIS system as it allows the team to problem-solve areas of concern. Each school uses a data management system that records all behavioral incidents/referrals. This system provides detailed reports that allow school staff to understand and predict future incidents. Each school knows where and when behavioral incidents are most likely to occur, as well as the kind of incidents that are most likely to occur. School leaders are then able to shift staffing and resources to provide supports when and where necessary.
This predictive, proactive system has served the schools of Monroe well as we strive to offer a safe and orderly learning environment.
And is it working in Monroe?
We've seen a significant improvement in the behavioral data as a result using PBIS. The total number of office discipline referrals has been reduced by 24 percent over the last five years. During that same time, the number of bullying and harassment incidents has been reduced by 50 percent. Students and staff now share a common language and understanding of the expectations in the schools that results in a more positive and harmonious school climate.
What else does the district do to promote positive behavior?
Besides PBIS, some of the tools the Monroe school district is using are:
• Screening: The BESS (Behavior & Emotional Screening System) assessment is administered to all students in grades 4-12 twice per school year to identify any students that are at-risk for social, emotional or behavioral problems in the near future. The results are then used to provide support at school and to notify parents that additional supports may be necessary.
• Relationships: The district staff has emphasized the importance of relationships with students. Research indicates that children and adolescents need a minimum of three non-parent, positive adult influences in their lives. By connecting with students in a personal and meaningful way, we not only engage them in the learning process but we create resilience that is necessary for healthy development.
• Link Crew: Monroe High School has used a freshman orientation program called Link Crew. Link Crew is a high school transition program that increases freshman students' success by connecting them with members of the junior and senior class. These upperclassmen are trained to be leaders throughout the year who act as positive role models, motivators, mentors and teachers. These mentors, or "Link Leaders" as they are called, help guide the freshmen to feel safe and connected at their new school while discovering what it takes to be successful during this pivotal transition to high school. Link Crew is a nationally recognized program that has demonstrated success in hundreds of high schools across the world. The program is based on research that suggests that students who have a positive experience during their freshman year are significantly more likely to be academically and socially successful throughout the remainder of their high school career. As freshmen success increases, the benefits to the school culture and climate become apparent. Link Crew schools report having greater connection, increased extracurricular participation, a reduction in bullying, fewer discipline issues and greater pride and spirit. Additionally, the older students who serve as mentors gain lifelong leadership skills and report a higher degree of empathy, compassion and self-esteem.
• Partnership: Over the last three years, the school district has partnered with Jacob's SWAG and Tyler's TEAM, two local foundations that work to prevent suicide. This partnership has resulted in multi-district collaborations led by the school district. The purpose is to share resources to afford access to important mental health information for all students in the Green County area. In addition, the school district has also partnered with FAITH Addiction Awareness to provide a powerful anti-drug message to all middle and high school students in Green County.
• Youth Frontiers Retreats: All students in fifth grade attend the Kindness Retreat and all students in eighth grade attend the Courage Retreat. These retreats inspire character by engaging a single grade level of students in activities that emphasize the value of kindness and courage. Students are empowered to be "everyday heroes" by using kindness and moral courage to include others, be respectful and make your school a better place. Students learn that bullying is much more than physical fighting, and includes verbal taunting and social exclusion. The retreat then teaches students how to take risks in a positive and safe way to handle bullying and other negative social situations. Participation in the retreat results in cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral shifts that decrease students' distractions to learning and build a positive school community. Students are emotionally engaged in ways we previously hadn't seen. Strategies, themes and tools are emphasized via follow-up discussions throughout the year by pupil services staff and student leaders.
MONROE - Since 2008, the School District of Monroe has been working to implement a proactive approach to establishing behavioral supports and social culture called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This highly structured school-wide system serves to enhance social, emotional and academic success for all students. Much time and effort has been invested in developing meaningful and impactful supports and district-level data suggests that this system has been highly effective.
Why does the district have to teach kids to be good?
Parents and educators often ask, "Why should I have to teach kids to be good? They already know what they are supposed to do. Why can't I just expect good behavior?" The reality is that many students come to school without those important behavioral and interpersonal skills that are necessary to be successful members of their school and community. As educators, we have a responsibility to educate the whole child to ensure that they are prepared to for the future. PBIS provides an efficient and effective means to address these needs while establishing common expectations and developing desirable character attributes.
How does PBIS work?
In the past, school-wide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies including reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions and expulsions. But research has shown that using punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective.
Introducing, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important step of a student's educational experience. Defining, teaching and supporting behavioral expectations is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding. The purpose of PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.
What behaviors does PBIS encourage?
Over the last several years, the district has chosen to focus on positive skill-building to develop the character attributes that our community values. Students are engaged in activities and projects that emphasize cooperation, collaboration, communication, diversity, tolerance and empathy. This work results in positive action versus a focus on what not to do, and students feel empowered to change their school and their world for the better.
While PBIS clearly emphasizes a positive, proactive approach, it is important to note that violations of rules and expectations are still addressed. Through the explicit teaching of expectations, students have a clear understanding of the school rules. This practice alone leads to improved behavioral responses from the students. When students do violate a rule, there are specific and logical consequences that are administered immediately.
How do you know if it's working?
While PBIS is used in schools across the world, it is by no means a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Each building in the School District of Monroe has a PBIS team that works to develop a system that will be appropriate and authentic for the students they serve. There are differences in the social-emotional and behavioral needs across developmental levels and even across the three elementary school buildings.
These differences necessitate the analysis of building-level behavioral data. This data analysis is critical to the success of the PBIS system as it allows the team to problem-solve areas of concern. Each school uses a data management system that records all behavioral incidents/referrals. This system provides detailed reports that allow school staff to understand and predict future incidents. Each school knows where and when behavioral incidents are most likely to occur, as well as the kind of incidents that are most likely to occur. School leaders are then able to shift staffing and resources to provide supports when and where necessary.
This predictive, proactive system has served the schools of Monroe well as we strive to offer a safe and orderly learning environment.
And is it working in Monroe?
We've seen a significant improvement in the behavioral data as a result using PBIS. The total number of office discipline referrals has been reduced by 24 percent over the last five years. During that same time, the number of bullying and harassment incidents has been reduced by 50 percent. Students and staff now share a common language and understanding of the expectations in the schools that results in a more positive and harmonious school climate.
What else does the district do to promote positive behavior?
Besides PBIS, some of the tools the Monroe school district is using are:
• Screening: The BESS (Behavior & Emotional Screening System) assessment is administered to all students in grades 4-12 twice per school year to identify any students that are at-risk for social, emotional or behavioral problems in the near future. The results are then used to provide support at school and to notify parents that additional supports may be necessary.
• Relationships: The district staff has emphasized the importance of relationships with students. Research indicates that children and adolescents need a minimum of three non-parent, positive adult influences in their lives. By connecting with students in a personal and meaningful way, we not only engage them in the learning process but we create resilience that is necessary for healthy development.
• Link Crew: Monroe High School has used a freshman orientation program called Link Crew. Link Crew is a high school transition program that increases freshman students' success by connecting them with members of the junior and senior class. These upperclassmen are trained to be leaders throughout the year who act as positive role models, motivators, mentors and teachers. These mentors, or "Link Leaders" as they are called, help guide the freshmen to feel safe and connected at their new school while discovering what it takes to be successful during this pivotal transition to high school. Link Crew is a nationally recognized program that has demonstrated success in hundreds of high schools across the world. The program is based on research that suggests that students who have a positive experience during their freshman year are significantly more likely to be academically and socially successful throughout the remainder of their high school career. As freshmen success increases, the benefits to the school culture and climate become apparent. Link Crew schools report having greater connection, increased extracurricular participation, a reduction in bullying, fewer discipline issues and greater pride and spirit. Additionally, the older students who serve as mentors gain lifelong leadership skills and report a higher degree of empathy, compassion and self-esteem.
• Partnership: Over the last three years, the school district has partnered with Jacob's SWAG and Tyler's TEAM, two local foundations that work to prevent suicide. This partnership has resulted in multi-district collaborations led by the school district. The purpose is to share resources to afford access to important mental health information for all students in the Green County area. In addition, the school district has also partnered with FAITH Addiction Awareness to provide a powerful anti-drug message to all middle and high school students in Green County.
• Youth Frontiers Retreats: All students in fifth grade attend the Kindness Retreat and all students in eighth grade attend the Courage Retreat. These retreats inspire character by engaging a single grade level of students in activities that emphasize the value of kindness and courage. Students are empowered to be "everyday heroes" by using kindness and moral courage to include others, be respectful and make your school a better place. Students learn that bullying is much more than physical fighting, and includes verbal taunting and social exclusion. The retreat then teaches students how to take risks in a positive and safe way to handle bullying and other negative social situations. Participation in the retreat results in cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral shifts that decrease students' distractions to learning and build a positive school community. Students are emotionally engaged in ways we previously hadn't seen. Strategies, themes and tools are emphasized via follow-up discussions throughout the year by pupil services staff and student leaders.