From Research To Practice:From Research To Practice:Implementing PBS at the Implementing PBS at the Fairfield Freshman SchoolFairfield Freshman School

Mr. Wissman (Principal)Mr. Wissman (Principal)Mr. Lindberg (Assistant Principal)Mr. Lindberg (Assistant Principal)

Dr. Ray Soh, NCSP (School Psychologist, PBS Coordinator)Dr. Ray Soh, NCSP (School Psychologist, PBS Coordinator)Mrs. J. Platt (High School Counselor)Mrs. J. Platt (High School Counselor)

Ms. Caryn May (Intervention Specialist)Ms. Caryn May (Intervention Specialist)

So, when did we start?So, when did we start?2006-2007 : Pre-PBS training2006-2007 : Pre-PBS training

2007-2008 : Year 1 Implementation2007-2008 : Year 1 Implementation

2008-2009 : Year 2 Implementation2008-2009 : Year 2 Implementation

2009-2010 : Year 3 Implementation2009-2010 : Year 3 Implementation

Why PBS?Why PBS?Initial ConcernsInitial Concerns

Not just another program please!Not just another program please!

Isn’t PBS just like Character Isn’t PBS just like Character Education?Education?

Flavor of the month. This, too, will Flavor of the month. This, too, will pass!pass!

Why Not PBS?Why Not PBS? We will never become successful if We will never become successful if we work on one student at a timewe work on one student at a time

PBS helps us focus on systems PBS helps us focus on systems changechange

PBS is prevention rather than PBS is prevention rather than reaction (crisis management)reaction (crisis management)

By The Way,By The Way,Any behavior management seminar Any behavior management seminar

that offers “sure-fire” or “quick-fix” that offers “sure-fire” or “quick-fix”

strategies should be filed under strategies should be filed under

““fiction”.fiction”.

BOTTOM LINEBOTTOM LINE PBS is primarily about changing the PBS is primarily about changing the interactions we have with students. It is interactions we have with students. It is not about changing the students.not about changing the students.

PBS is about providing supports to adults PBS is about providing supports to adults so that they positively engage with so that they positively engage with students. When adults in our school feel students. When adults in our school feel positive and supported, magic happens!!positive and supported, magic happens!!

Who’s Who?Who’s Who?Our Dream TeamOur Dream Team

AdministratorsAdministrators Psychologist who coordinates PBSPsychologist who coordinates PBS Guidance CounselorGuidance Counselor Intervention SpecialistIntervention Specialist Regular Education teachersRegular Education teachers Security OfficerSecurity Officer

Building Leadership TeamBuilding Leadership Team All BLT members received PD on All BLT members received PD on PBSPBS

PD is ongoing PD is ongoing

It is critical to have an expert who It is critical to have an expert who knows how to implement PBS at the knows how to implement PBS at the secondary levelsecondary level

Building Leadership TeamBuilding Leadership Team We meet on a frequent basis to:We meet on a frequent basis to:

- Review ODRReview ODR- Analyze behavior problems and Analyze behavior problems and

academicsacademics- Celebrate successesCelebrate successes- Develop action steps to be shared Develop action steps to be shared

with staff with staff

Trend Data - Discipline

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

# Suspensions # Sat Schools # Detentions

Consequence

Freq

uenc

y 2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

First Semester Failures

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Students w / 1 Failure Students w / 2 Failure Students w / 3 Failure

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

Second Semester Failures

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Students w / 1 Failure Students w / 2 Failure Students w / 3 Failure

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

Staff CommunicationStaff Communication Staff meeting – PD on PBS special Staff meeting – PD on PBS special topicstopics

Emails – reading materialsEmails – reading materials

PBS representatives talk to different PBS representatives talk to different staff membersstaff members

Freshman’s PBS Freshman’s PBS Success RoadmapSuccess Roadmap

Created building-wide school expectationsCreated building-wide school expectations - Parent and Teacher surveys- Parent and Teacher surveys

Designed schoolwide lesson plans (looked at Designed schoolwide lesson plans (looked at others and created our own using real examples)others and created our own using real examples)

Implemented predictable school routines (e.g., Implemented predictable school routines (e.g., Hallway passes)Hallway passes)

Created a reward system for staff and studentsCreated a reward system for staff and students

Creating A School Where Every Creating A School Where Every Student Wants to BelongStudent Wants to Belong

Positive Behavior Supports is about Positive Behavior Supports is about creating a POSITIVE environmentcreating a POSITIVE environment

How? Having a system of How? Having a system of acknowledgement that is explicit and acknowledgement that is explicit and consistentconsistent

BRAVE TICKETSBRAVE TICKETS Getting ticketed can be a POSITIVE Getting ticketed can be a POSITIVE experienceexperience

Who gets a BRAVE ticket?Who gets a BRAVE ticket?

What does it look like?What does it look like?

Making Brave tickets work – check and Making Brave tickets work – check and write positive expectations metwrite positive expectations met

Challenges of Implementing Challenges of Implementing Brave TicketsBrave Tickets

Generic brave tickets – rushed, good Generic brave tickets – rushed, good but not specific enough.but not specific enough.

Some teachers give generously but Some teachers give generously but others don’t (“Why should I reward others don’t (“Why should I reward what is expected?”)what is expected?”)

New staff needs to get PD on PBSNew staff needs to get PD on PBS

Brave Tickets Data Brave Tickets Data

Brave tickets publicly displayedBrave tickets publicly displayed

Students come and see if their Students come and see if their names are on the boardnames are on the board

Month Responsibility Problem Solver Respect Total

First SemesterAug/Sept 2009

378 165 119 662

Oct 230 135 92 457

Nov 196 111 59 366

Dec 155 91 37 283

Jan 1-19 2010 66 56 20 142

Second SemesterJan 20-31

71 59 21 151

Feb 81 84 13 178

March 209 127 43 379

April 201 136 59 396

May 76 76 26 178

Total 1,663 1,040 489 3,192

New tracking data:New tracking data:447 out of 755 students (59%) 447 out of 755 students (59%) receive at least 1 brave ticketreceive at least 1 brave ticket

We have done well but we can do We have done well but we can do better!!!better!!!

PBS student survey dataPBS student survey data conducted on 3/2/2010 by school conducted on 3/2/2010 by school psychologistpsychologist Questions:Questions:

1. Can you tell me what are the 1. Can you tell me what are the Three schoolwide expectations?Three schoolwide expectations?

2. Can you list the expectations 2. Can you list the expectations for.. Classroom, hallway, cafeteria?for.. Classroom, hallway, cafeteria?

Can you tell me the Can you tell me the 3 schoolwide expectations?3 schoolwide expectations?

94 % of the students surveyed were 94 % of the students surveyed were all to list all 3 schoolwide all to list all 3 schoolwide expectationsexpectations

Can you list the expectations for: Can you list the expectations for: ClassroomClassroom

65% listed at least one specific 65% listed at least one specific expectation for that locationexpectation for that location

Rejected: get good grades, don’t Rejected: get good grades, don’t cheat, studycheat, study

Can you list the expectations for: Can you list the expectations for: HallwayHallway

71% listed at least one specific 71% listed at least one specific expectation for that locationexpectation for that location

Can you list the expectations for: Can you list the expectations for: CafeteriaCafeteria

59% listed at least one specific 59% listed at least one specific expectation for that locationexpectation for that location

Rejected response: Eat rightRejected response: Eat right

Principals Make A DifferencePrincipals Make A DifferenceSurvey conducted PBS v Non-PBS schools Survey conducted PBS v Non-PBS schools

All staff rate principal’s leadership with respect to All staff rate principal’s leadership with respect to managing behavior as importantmanaging behavior as important

Differences exist between SW-PBS and non-SW-Differences exist between SW-PBS and non-SW-PBS schools on teachers’ perceptions of:PBS schools on teachers’ perceptions of:

- Principal’s involvement related to behavior - Principal’s involvement related to behavior managementmanagement

- Higher job satisfaction- Higher job satisfaction

Challenges of Challenges of Initial ImplementationInitial Implementation

Obtaining staff buy-in and supportObtaining staff buy-in and support - Been there, done that (Flavor of the - Been there, done that (Flavor of the

month)month)

- Staff attitude of “Kids should know - Staff attitude of “Kids should know better” (No need to teach basic rules, kids better” (No need to teach basic rules, kids should know what to do)should know what to do)

- Incentives that work for staff- Incentives that work for staff WIIFM (“What’s In It For Me?”)WIIFM (“What’s In It For Me?”)

Strategies to increase Strategies to increase staff “Buy In”staff “Buy In”

To implement PBS, you must have a To implement PBS, you must have a strong foundation in PBS. BLT strong foundation in PBS. BLT received training on PBS.received training on PBS.

Ongoing PD for staff during staff Ongoing PD for staff during staff meetings (Faculty needs to meetings (Faculty needs to understand that change takes time understand that change takes time and PBS is not a quick fix)and PBS is not a quick fix)

Strategies to increase Strategies to increase staff “Buy In”staff “Buy In”

Building relationshipsBuilding relationships - Administration and staff- Administration and staff

- BLT and staff (BLT talks about - BLT and staff (BLT talks about PBS)PBS)

Creating a Common Language:Creating a Common Language:Consistency and CommunicationConsistency and Communication ChallengeChallenge

- Lack of consistency in disciplining - Lack of consistency in disciplining studentsstudents

- Strategies to address challenge:- Strategies to address challenge: - Create a simple decision flowchart for - Create a simple decision flowchart for

office referraloffice referral - Create forms that are simple yet - Create forms that are simple yet

informativeinformative - Provide PD on teacher- vs office-- Provide PD on teacher- vs office-

managed referralmanaged referral

Getting Students Hooked on PBSGetting Students Hooked on PBS ChallengesChallenges

- Most PBS research focus on elementary schools - Most PBS research focus on elementary schools and how to get students to get buy-inand how to get students to get buy-in

- Strategies to address challenge- Strategies to address challenge * Design and teach behavior expectations* Design and teach behavior expectations * Post behavior expectations in all locations* Post behavior expectations in all locations * Conduct student survey on knowledge of * Conduct student survey on knowledge of

schoolwide rulesschoolwide rules * Re-teach behavior expectations for second* Re-teach behavior expectations for second half of the yearhalf of the year * Implement incentives* Implement incentives

Reflections on Reflections on three years of implementationthree years of implementation

Start small and prioritize your timeStart small and prioritize your time

The greatest resource is Human The greatest resource is Human ResourceResource

Increase your focus on teaching and Increase your focus on teaching and positive expectationspositive expectations

Reflections on Reflections on three years of implementationthree years of implementation

Increase your opportunities for Increase your opportunities for feedback to staff and studentsfeedback to staff and students

Create a common and predictable Create a common and predictable experience for staff and students experience for staff and students (e.g., create routines and teach (e.g., create routines and teach common expectations)common expectations)