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PBIS is a school-wide positive approach to school discipline that teaches appropriate behaviors rather than the use of punitive measures. According to the U.S. Department of Education, it has shown promising results as a culturally responsive set of evidence-based interventions designed to achieve socially important behavior change and improve academic achievement.
Key elements of PBIS include the use of data to track progress and identify areas to target for intervention, consistent process and procedures throughout the school, school-wide expectations and rules used to teach students appropriate behavior, and a reward system to encourage and model appropriate and effective consequences to discourage inappropriate behavior.
Several schools in the district are in year two or three of implementing PBIS and have seen reductions in behavior problems that would have led to office referrals, suspensions and possibly expulsions.
The Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center is a Positive Behavior
Interventions Support school that is going into its second year of implementation.
During the first year of PBIS, the school PBIS team met bi-weekly to develop a plan of action to enhance the academic and social competencies of students at the Hilton Head Early Childhood Center. After establishing that impacting behaviors would be one of its school-wide goals, the staff completed the online survey.
After completing the survey, the staff developed the matrix, which consisted of the acronym BEST. It stands for B (be kind), E (effort), S (self-control) and T (teamwork.)
In addition, the staff determined the settings in which the students and staff would practice the skills necessary to promote positive behavior. The team developed a timeline in which it practiced the principles of the matrix with the entire staff over the first two weeks of schools. The entire staff consisted of administrators, teachers, support staff, custodial, cafeteria workers and bus drivers. The PBIS team rolled out the plan to the school after practicing with the staff and students.
As a result of the staff efforts, the students are displaying the appropriate behaviors by utilizing the principles of the matrix and the acronym BEST. Students receive GOTCHA cards for displaying appropriate behaviors.
The school has had two celebrations that have highlighted the success of PBIS at Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center.
On Feb. 2, principal Adrienne Sutton gave a presentation to the Beaufort County Board of Education on Positive Behavior Support and activities students at HHIECC are doing in regards to appropriate behavior and rewards.
Robert Smalls Middle School, now going into its third year of implementation of PBIS, saw a marked decrease in the number of infractions during the 2008-09 school year.
The number of disciplinary infractions for the first quarter of that school year dropped to less than half of what it was during the first quarter of 2007-2008. This decrease in discipline referrals has led to the recovery of teaching and leadership time.
Teams from seven schools that are now in year-one implementation participated in PBIS training Jan. 26-27. The district's goal is to eventually have all schools creating and sustaining school environments that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, academic, work, etc.) for all students by increasing positive interactions among students, staff and families.
Valerie Truesdale is superintendent of Beaufort County Schools
