Positive Behavior Supports and Intervention (PBIS)

Positive Behavior Supports and Interventions (PBIS) is a framework to help schools develop a system of positive and proactive school-wide behavior expectations. The goals of PBIS are to

• promote a positive learning environment
• create a positive culture
• teach and reinforce appropriate behaviors, and
• prevent problem behaviors.

The elementary buildings have leadership teams consisting of teachers, associates, counselors and administrators. Those teams merge together for district-wide planning and conversations, so that there is consistency in developing PBIS from building to building.

The elementary PBIS approach mirrors the Fairfield Middle School's PBIS system, which started 3 years ago in response to their School in Need of Assistance (SINA) action plan. The middle school uses the acronym "Trojan PRIDE" to define expectations for behavior in various locations in the school. The three Fairfield elementary schools implemented "Trojan Traits" - respect, responsible, safe - in the hallway as our starting point. Staff directly taught students how to "do" respect, responsible, and safe in the hallway. Students watched a video, created by Mr. and Mrs. Strickler, and practiced Trojan Trait hallway behavior with their teachers. Our leader tickets, still drawn each Friday, have been used to target and recognize the correct behavior in the hallway.

The consistent implementation across the elementary buildings has had many benefits.

• Teachers who travel from building to building (such as art, music, and PE teachers) know that students have the same expectations and language for discussing behavior in each building. They don't have to learn different systems for different buildings.
• Students who change buildings from year to year enter a familiar system.
• Teachers develop a common language and approach which supports them in problem-solving and planning for behavior interventions.

Many thanks to our leadership team as they work together to develop the elementary PBIS system. We are so excited about the positive student response to the Trojan Traits!