P ositive B ehavior I ntervention S upport

1. Positive Behavior InterventionSupport A Democratic Approach Through Student Empowerment

2. What is PBIS? According to the Maine PBIS website it is a framework for providing a continuum of the best evidence-based behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavioral outcomes for all students. And,

3. …a focus on creating positive learning environments that teach and reinforce positive social development, and decreasing the number, intensity, and severity of challenging behaviors.

4. Tier 1 – Primary Prevention This level includes all School and Classroom-Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, and Settings. These systems meet the needs of 80 to 90 percent of the school population.

5. Tier 2 – Secondary Prevention This level includes specialized group systems for students with at- risk behaviors. These systems are targeted for 7 to 10 percent of the school population.

6. Tier 3 – Tertiary Prevention This level includes specialized individualized systems for students with high at-risk behaviors. These systems are targeted for 3 to 5 percent of the school population.

7. Cave Hill School Approach to PBIS • 3 Member PBIS Team has attended training and workshops over the past 5 months. • PBIS Team has met with staff and reviewed the many documents and matrices provided as tools for implementing and rolling out PBIS at Cave Hill.

8. Cave Hill School Approach to PBIS • After careful review of all the PBIS tools it was evident that the enormity of the PBIS system and its perceived top-down approach did not fit our small school. • We recognized that the process would better fit our students by empowering them to build the Tier 1 level of PBIS.

9. Student Empowerment • Through student empowerment the people we serve will • own the process, • know the challenges, • and identify the solutions.

10. Cave Hill School Population • 85 Students (Pre-K to 8th) • 7 Teachers • 1 Teaching Principal • 4 Special Ed Techs • 6 Itinerant Teachers • 7 Support Staff

11. Student Council 8 member student council established with charter to: • Represent the interests of their classmates. • Write a school constitution that has 3 to 5 rules that apply to all students within the “Bus-to-Bus” parameter.

12. Student Council Democracy in Action The following slides show the Student Council meeting their charter to represent and write a school constitution.

13. Charter / Norms / Vision • The Council • was read their charter by the facilitator, • established the norms for their meetings, and • developed a list of vision ideas of how they want their school to be.

14. Vision Ideas The council created a lengthy list of vision ideas with the following four being the most important ones: • A safe place • A place where we can learn • A place where we can get our work done • A place where we can have fun

15. Step 1 Review All Rules Representatives brought their respective classroom rules to the first meeting and wrote them on chart paper.

16. 6th through 8th Grade Rules

17. K through 2nd Grade

18. 3rd & 4thGradeRules

19. Step 2 Categorize Rules Reps looked for similar rules across the grade levels and grouped them together.

20. Step 3 Cut Up Rules For Sorting

21. Step 3Cut Up Rules For Sorting

22. Step 4Sorting similar rules in piles to see which rules appeared most across the grade levels.

23. First Draft of Constitution • After much debate amongst the council and conducting straight up and down votes on the sorted rules the council created and voted to accept the first draft of the constitution. (Next slide) • The preamble incorporates the council’s vision for the school.

24. Cave Hill Constitution We the students of Cave Hill School in order to create a safe place where we can learn, get our work done, and have fun we will… • Track the Speaker • Ask and Answer Questions • Use the Golden Rule First Draft

25. First Draft Feedback/Vote • Council reps got feedback from constituents (classmates) and voted on first draft. • 3rd/4th and 7th/8th grade reps reported that constituents voted down the first draft. • Constituents wanted more specific rules and to strike first two rules because they did not fit the bus-to-bus parameter. • Council decided to hold a school town meeting to give student body an opportunity to express concerns and ask questions about the process.

26. Cave Hill School Town MeetingStudents Exercise 1st Amendment Right

27. School Town Meeting • PBIS Team Members served as moderator and scribe. • Council Reps addressed constituents. • Students provided a lengthy list of concerns and recommendations for changing the first draft and action items for the council to address after completion of the constitution. • Powerful moment for school community. • Students were given an exit slip to provide their top 5 rules they would like to see in the constitution.

28. 2nd Draft of Constitution • Council met again with new data (exit slips with over 120 data points) to review and revise the 1st draft of the constitution. • Followed same process as original draft. • Council Rep reads rule while another member records and tallies reoccurrence.

29. Council Debates Revision • Council analyzed data and debated the rules that rose to the top as being the most important. • A Rep thought there should be examples in the constitution. Council came to consensus that examples would be used as specific lessons to support the 4 rules in the constitution. • Council decided that Y.E.S. should be specified because not all students understand this Responsive Classroom acronym.

30. Council Debates Revision • Council voted and approved 2nd draft of constitution. • Smoothed 2nd draft of constitution. • Created ballot boxes for student body to use on Monday, March 28, 2011 to either accept or reject constitution as written.

31. 5th grade Representative writes the final rule to the 2nd revision of the constitution.

32. Cave Hill Constitution We the students of Cave Hill School in order to create a safe place where we can learn, get our work done, and have fun we will… 1. Be Respectful 2. Use the Golden Rule 3. Be Kind 4. Do Y.E.S. Y – Take care of Yourself E – Take care of Each other S – Take care of the School Second Draft

33. 1st Grade Council Representative creates a ballot box.

34. Kindergarten Council Representative creates a ballot box.

35. Voting Students wait their turn to cast their ballot to either accept or reject the constitution as written.

36. Voting Students vote to either accept or reject the constitution as written.

37. Casting a Ballot Students casts his ballot in the ballot box to either accept or reject the constitution as written.

38. Constitution Ratified 75 ballots were cast with 57 accepting the constitution as written and 18 rejecting the constitution.

39. Next Step • Follow up on action items from town meeting (i.e., establishing consequences). • Develop lesson plans that address the specifics and requests for examples.

40. Conclusion Student empowerment: 1. Creates synergy throughout the school community to achieve the values established by the RSU of Respect, Responsibility, and Teamwork. 2. And, it facilitates the main tenet of PBIS. “…creating positive learning environments that teach and reinforce positive social development, and decreasing the number, intensity, and severity of challenging behaviors.”

41. Student’s Have the Answers This final slide is a graphic representation of the synergy that is created when schools allow students to have a voice in the process. They have the answers and the solutions to the challenges that exist in our schools. All we have to do is listen.

42. Synergy Through Student Empowerment Teachers & Staff - The glue that facilitates the ring of support.

43. We Are All In This Together