Last year, I had the opportunity to write about the Corinth Middle School’s launch of a PBIS program. This new initiative was the result of data examination the year prior showing our students were missing too much core instruction due to discipline referrals. Rewind one year ago, I was the (new) principal of the school helping to launch this new approach. While learning all I could about PBIS, I was also reading Leverage Leadership, by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo. Chapter 6 focused on Staff Culture as a critical lever.
As I read more and more in his book, it became paramount to have the right people on the bus. The bus became my PBIS team and they really helped frame the culture of our building. In addition, my team leaders were on the bus and were (and continue to be!) supportive in their carryout. I had no blockers or sabotagers on the team. In the school, maybe. But not serving on the team. "Turning a failing school around demands a culture where everyone is on the same page, supports the school's mission, and accepts what is needed to get back on track (215)".
We believe that a positive school climate can and will impact our achievement. In April 2013, Jane Meredith Adams wrote about a study of school climate among 170 California schools. What they found confirmed what we saw last year. A positive climate leads to better student engagement which leads to better learning and instruction. We have some of that same data and are in the midst of compiling it.
One year later, we can boast the smoothest school opening we have seen in a very long time at Corinth Middle School. Expectations have been established. Like last year, we spent the first three days teaching actual lessons around PBIS. We also held a welcome back assembly, outside team building activities, a student showcase (where students acted, sang, danced, etc. to various ideas from PBIS), and a teacher showcase (where competitive teacher groups sang, danced, acted, etc. to PBIS expectations).
Many think PBIS is about the actual earned Tomahawk Ticket given to the student in recognition of good behavior. That is what it looks like on the surface. But it is so much more than that. A few others think their child should not have to learn about PBIS because they don’t have engagement or behavioral concerns. We deal with these concerns one by one.
In the end, PBIS has helped us build a school wide expectation that we will all Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. I have some preliminary data that shows the impact of what we have done and will share that at the upcoming SAANYS conference in Rochester.
For us PBIS is so much more than a ticket or earning a free book to read. It's about culture. And I am learning, culture can be (almost) everything.
As I read more and more in his book, it became paramount to have the right people on the bus. The bus became my PBIS team and they really helped frame the culture of our building. In addition, my team leaders were on the bus and were (and continue to be!) supportive in their carryout. I had no blockers or sabotagers on the team. In the school, maybe. But not serving on the team. "Turning a failing school around demands a culture where everyone is on the same page, supports the school's mission, and accepts what is needed to get back on track (215)".
We believe that a positive school climate can and will impact our achievement. In April 2013, Jane Meredith Adams wrote about a study of school climate among 170 California schools. What they found confirmed what we saw last year. A positive climate leads to better student engagement which leads to better learning and instruction. We have some of that same data and are in the midst of compiling it.
One year later, we can boast the smoothest school opening we have seen in a very long time at Corinth Middle School. Expectations have been established. Like last year, we spent the first three days teaching actual lessons around PBIS. We also held a welcome back assembly, outside team building activities, a student showcase (where students acted, sang, danced, etc. to various ideas from PBIS), and a teacher showcase (where competitive teacher groups sang, danced, acted, etc. to PBIS expectations).
Many think PBIS is about the actual earned Tomahawk Ticket given to the student in recognition of good behavior. That is what it looks like on the surface. But it is so much more than that. A few others think their child should not have to learn about PBIS because they don’t have engagement or behavioral concerns. We deal with these concerns one by one.
In the end, PBIS has helped us build a school wide expectation that we will all Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. I have some preliminary data that shows the impact of what we have done and will share that at the upcoming SAANYS conference in Rochester.
For us PBIS is so much more than a ticket or earning a free book to read. It's about culture. And I am learning, culture can be (almost) everything.
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