Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
What is PBIS?
PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports) is our school wide behavior management program that helps us sustain a positive environment by rewarding positive behaviors in all aspects of school.
The Three R's:
North Elementary students are:
- Respectful
- Responsible
- Ready to learn
We call this the "Warrior Way"
The Bucket Filler Program
This program is North Elementary's Positive Recognition System. Teachers and staff reward students individually and as a class when they are seen being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn!
- "Bucket Filler": We use the term "Bucket Filler" when students display good behavior.
- "Bucket Dipper": We use the term "Bucket Dipper" when students display non-preferred behaviors.
- Individual Buckets: Each child has their very own bucket in the classroom. Anytime a teacher catches them exhibiting "bucket filler" behavior, they'll earn a "drop" in their bucket. The goal is to accumulate as many "drops" as possible throughout the week.
- Whole Class Buckets: To go along with our individual bucket-filling behavior system we have a class bucket that we are working on filling for a prize. We vote as a class to decide what we want our reward to be for filling our class bucket. We earn whole class drops by following directions as a whole class, working quietly, have a quiet and calm walk down the hallway, working hard in specials, etc.
Why This Program?
The Bucket Filler program allows us to teach the whole child. The language lends itself to kindness, compassion and empathy.
How Can I Reinforce This at Home?
Use the same vocabulary your child hears at school, ask him/her about their day, read the book.
What Happens if My Child Needs a Reminder?
The main idea and goal behind PBIS is to reinforce positive behaviors and reteach the expectations after negative behaviors. When a student fails to meet behavior expectations he/she will be given multiple opportunities to fix their behavior. It is important to remember that in addition to reading, writing, math and other academic topics, students are also here to learn how to be students in school!
There are 5 levels to the behavior intervention process.
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Level 1: After the student engages in a minor negative behavior, they receive a warning and are reminded of the expectations.
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Level 2: If a similar behavior happens again, the student is sent to the thinking spot in their classroom for a reset break and then return to class when they are ready (Time in the think spot is usually limited to approximately 5 minutes).
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Level 3: Upon needing a third reminder, the student is directed to fill out a think sheet in the thinking spot and then returns to class after a reflective discussion with the teacher. At this point, the teacher fills out a minor referral form and the parent receives notification that their child needed several reminders. Think sheets serve as a form of communication in order to keep parents "in the know" about what happens at school.
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Level 4: If a fourth reminder is needed, your student will be directed to a buddy room where he/she will spend a few minutes reflecting in that classroom's think spot and then discuss better choices with a new adult (this could be a different classroom teacher or instructional assistant). The student then returns to their classroom.
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Level 5: If a teacher needs to speak with a student five times about a similar behavior OR if a student does something major, the office is called for assistance and a team member from the office will go to the classroom for a reteaching moment. The teacher will fill out a major referral form and parents will be contacted by someone from the office to discuss their child's behavior.
The Golden Spatula
During their time in the cafeteria, students are taught how to balance time for socialization with time for eating and regaining the energy they need for the rest of the day. Even for adults, this is a hard task to accomplish. We are social by nature so remembering to focus on eating while in the presence of all of our friends proves to be a difficult task at times.
The newest component to our PBIS routines at North is The Golden Spatula Award. When classes show Respectful and Responsible behavior in the cafeteria they are eligible to earn the Golden Spatula. Classes are working on using quiet voices, focusing on eating, listening to adult directions, cleaning their area and lining up nicely in the hallway as they wait to return to class.
At the end of each 9 week period, the classes (6 total- 2 from each grade level) who earn the Golden Spatula the most will earn a pizza party from me!