High-quality education is a team effort. Cache County School District constantly strives for growth, utilizing research-based best practices from our classrooms to administration to support staff. Our district’s recent push towards the Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS) is an endeavor to help each student find success at school. But what exactly is PBIS?
District psychologist Joseph Cottrell, guru of all things PBIS-related, explains that our PBIS systems are “all about pushing to be proactive and teach positive behaviors” based on three principles. First, our schools teach global, school-wide expectations. In other words, each staff member, classroom teacher, and student is taught school values. At Spring Creek Middle School, for example, students are taught to SOAR (exercise Self-control, stay On-task, strive for Achievement, and show Respect for themselves and others). Heritage Elementary’s Huskies are Safe, Kind, and Responsible. Students are taught these expectations in multiple locations, creating a schoolwide culture.
“We love the clear expectations,” Spring Creek principal Blair Powell said. “Every class that the students go into, they should have the same expectations for behavior. These become the pillars we build our school around.”
Once the broad expectations are taught, teachers and staff reinforce positive behaviors. This looks different at each of our schools, but some examples are “Outstanda Panda” at Providence Elementary School and “SOAR Tickets” at Spring Creek, which provide students with tickets when teachers observe their positive behaviors. Students turn in tickets for a treat and to help earn larger rewards for the school as a whole. Heritage Huskies work with their classes to earn group prizes, which they track on an Iditarod map of Alaska.
Such rewards emphasize the everyday positive behaviors that make school safe and fun. “We really focus on the positive side,” Heritage principal Lance Robins said. “Our students work together to show kindness to others and build a culture where everyone can be leaders.”
The third level of PBIS creates a consistent response system to support students who need additional support to be successful. Teachers, administrators, staff, and parents are each kept in the loop throughout each step of the process, which recenters intervention on learning and growth rather than punishment.
“Here’s the really great thing about PBIS,” Cottrell continued. “Once we have each of these pieces in place, 80% of students respond to these levels of reinforcement… PBIS creates a predictable environment for teachers and students. They want to come to school! The system helps people to feel confident and to thrive. And, we have more bandwidth to develop targeted supports for students needing extra support.”
Our district Student Services office provides ongoing support to each school as they establish PBIS models. Schools also utilize committees comprised of dedicated teachers, support professionals, and administrators. “It’s so great to have such passionate teams,” Powell said. “The core of PBIS that drives us is just this: Our teachers are capable. Our students are capable! PBIS is an attempt to empower them.”
