District 54 schools recognized for PBIS programs

The Illinois PBIS Network recognized 15 District 54 schools this year for their success in implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports.

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports – or PBIS – is a proactive, schoolwide system that teaches appropriate behavior throughout the school - in the classroom, on the bus, in the hallways, in the restrooms and on the playground. The entire staff team focuses not only on individual students with challenging behavior but on providing positive behavior support to all children.

Schools that wish to be recognized for their implementation of PBIS must submit an application in June along with supporting documentation. The levels of recognition are Start-Up, Emerging, Implementing, Fully Implementing and Exemplar.

• Frost Junior High School received the highest level – Exemplar. Frost is one of only two schools in the state to reach this milestone.

• Hanover Highlands, Aldrin, Blackwell, Lakeview, MacArthur and Campanelli elementary schools and Keller and Eisenhower junior high schools are recognized as Implementing – “maintaining the school-wide PBIS foundation and building the foundation for Tier2/Secondary Level Interventions.”

• Link, Muir, Collins and Armstrong elementary schools and Addams and Mead junior high schools are recognized as Emerging – “building the foundation for school-wide PBIS implementation.”

PBIS has several components:

• Behavioral expectations are defined: A small number of clearly defined behavioral expectations are stated in positive and simple rules. For example, some of our schools use the Three B's: Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe. Most schools kick off the school year with an assembly, whole school meeting or series of stations that introduce students to these concepts and reinforce the ideas for returning students.

• Behavioral expectations are taught: The behavioral expectations are taught to all students in real context and reinforced throughout the school year. Students often refer to them as “cool tools.” All staff throughout the building uses the same language to speak to students about behavioral expectations.

• Appropriate behaviors are acknowledged: Once appropriate behaviors have been defined and taught, they need to be acknowledged on a regular basis. Staff looks for opportunities throughout the year to recognize students who are meeting their expectations. Many schools will give out tickets and enter students' names in a drawing to win rewards. Rewards include trinkets, extra gym time and reading to younger children.

• Behavioral errors are corrected proactively: When students violate behavioral expectations, clear procedures are in place to explain to students their inappropriate behavior and to prevent continued disruptions to the instructional environment.

• Program evaluations and adaptations are made by a team: District 54 schools collect data on student behavior and use that information when making decisions about behavior systems. By tracking changes in student behavior, staff can evaluate and adjust its own practices.

• Administrators provide active and ongoing support.

Traditional discipline typically contains reactive procedures that focus on control with punitive consequences. This perspective is incomplete because the process lacks attention to the development and strategic reteaching of positive social behaviors. Research suggests that punishment by itself is ineffective in achieving long-term suppressions of problem behavior.

More information about PBIS and the list of schools recognized in Illinois can be found on the PBIS Illinois website: http://www.pbisillinois.org.