What is Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS)?

PBIS is a research-based, school-wide systems approach to improve school climate and create safer, more effective schools. PBIS is a process, not a program or a curriculum. The process focuses on improving a schools ability to teach expectations and support positive behavior for all students. PBIS provides systems for schools to design, implement, and evaluate effective school wide, classroom, non-classroom, and student-specific discipline plans. It is a team-based process for data review, data-based problem solving and intervention, ongoing planning, and monitoring of interventions. PBIS implementation includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for all students, all staff, in all settings. This includes individual classrooms and non-classroom settings. At Powell, we are in the third year of implementing PBIS throughout our school. In 2010-11 we implemented PBIS in our common areas such as the gym, hallways, cafeteria, playground, etc. In 2011-12, we implemented PBIS inside all classrooms. This was a significant shift away from our prior classroom discipline techniques to newer techniques based on the latest brain and behavioral research. At Powell, teachers are much more preventative and positive when thinking about classroom discipline. You will hear a lot of teachers saying, My expectation is for you to rather than I told you not to During the 2012-2013 school year we will implement PBIS expectations for rehearsals and performances, both during and after school hours, among other things. Our gradual transition to PBIS also includes providing students with significantly more behavior support, with a goal of addressing behavior issues before they reach a critical point. This process manifest itself in several ways. You will see many more celebrations throughout the school that reinforce children following our school wide and classroom expectations. You will see all staff members involved in mentoring and building positive relationships with children. And Teachers will provide much more communication with parents regarding their childs behavior, even for behavior that would have previously been deemed small, so that parents can assist in the process of supporting their child behaviorally. If you have any questions about Powells PBIS implementation, please dont hesitate to ask!

(See the back of this form for our school wide PBIS matrix)