• Features of the PBIS Approach to School-Wide Discipline

     

                The faculty and staff at Cash Valley Elementary are committed to maintaining a safe, orderly school environment and a climate of high expectations.  Research has shown that…

    • successful schools focus more on prevention and teaching appropriate behavior than on punishing misbehavior,
    • punishing problem behaviors without a school-wide system of support is associated with increased aggression, vandalism, truancy, tardiness, and dropping out,
    • the most effective responses educators can make to school violence include social skills training, academic/curricular restructuring (to ensure academic success), and behavioral interventions.

     

    Cash Valley Elementary has adopted the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports model (PBIS), a team-based approach to prevent and respond to discipline problems.  PBIS is based on research-validated procedures and includes the following components.

    • A common approach to discipline:

                Cash Valley’s PBIS program incorporates all staff and all school settings.

    • A clear set of positive behavioral expectations:

    Cash Valley’s core behavioral expectations are Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be an Expert Learner.  The PBIS “Cougar Code” logo showing these expectations is displayed in classrooms and throughout the school.

    • Procedures for teaching expected behaviors:

    Students at Cash Valley learn and practice routines and procedures for use    

    in classrooms, halls, the cafeteria, the playground, etc. to maintain a  

    safe and orderly school environment.   

    A behavior matrix specifies rules in each setting.  Students at all

    grade levels participate in regular lessons to learn important social,  

    problem-solving, and anger management skills.

    • A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior:

                Positive behaviors are noticed and rewarded daily through classroom 

                 incentives, booster activities, cougar code cards, and cougar code 

                 tickets.

    • A continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior:

                The document “Cash Valley’s Target Behaviors for ‘PBIS’ 

                 and “LAP” specifies target behaviors and consequences for 

                 consistent responses to inappropriate behavior.

    • Procedures for ongoing monitoring and evaluation:

                Cash Valley’s PBIS team meets at least monthly to review data   

                 related to the discipline program.  The team updates the staff on a  

                 regular basis, makes recommendations regarding school discipline,  

                 and solicits staff input for improving the PBIS program.