Dist. 211, Loyola team up on positive behavior program

Positive school climate is known to impact student achievement and can greatly enhance the overall development, confidence and readiness of students to learn while in the high school environment and succeed after graduation.

Working with researchers from Loyola University-Chicago, Palatine and Schaumburg high schools are implementing a program based on this proactive, schoolwide approach - the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports program is designed to create positive behavioral supports and develop a social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success.

This program utilizes a three-tiered model, consistent with the Response to Intervention model, to conceptualize a continuum of services and to build a school culture that supports students who require additional assistance with their behaviors.

Each school adapted the PBIS approach to create its own schoolwide initiative. The approach is known as "Commit to the Pirate" at Palatine and "Saxon Pride" at Schaumburg. Acronyms were devised for PIRATE and PRIDE at each school respectively, to convey the principles and expectations valued within each school community.

As part of each school's program to encourage positive behavior, students created video announcements that are shown throughout the school. More information on PBIS is available at d211.org/pdf.