Students, teachers and parents starting the new school year at Falls Elementary and West End Elementary schools will likely notice some changes in the way the school district is addressing behavioral supports for students.
FES and WEE principal Melissa Tate said the schools will implement a new program for preschool through sixth grade students called Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports, or PBIS, meant to address behavior issues in a positive way.
“Basically, it’s a proactive approach to positive behavior,” she explained. “Instead of harping on kids who are always doing things wrong, it is really about recognizing those students who are doing what they are supposed to be doing on a daily basis.”
The nationwide program, which comes at little cost to the district, aims to aid students in both the academic and behavioral sphere. It educates students on how to be respectful, responsible and safe from the time they arrive at school to the time they are dismissed — and everything in between.
“We will be practicing these strategies with kids in all of these areas and throughout the school year, we will continue to recognize positive behaviors,” she said.
Students were introduced to the program with a pep rally shortly after classes began Tuesday. Tate explained to students that if they are seen displaying exemplary behavior, they will be rewarded with pride shoes.
Pride shoes will be distributed by faculty and staff to students with a goal, Tate said, of earning 20,000 pride shoes this year.
“I think every time we reach 5,000, we’ll have a celebration so kids can be recognized for their hard work,” she said.
Tate said the new supports are not meant to replace discipline, but instead are intended to “focus more on recognizing the good.”
“We will continue to handle major discipline issues systematically as we have done in the past,” she said.
What is defined as a major discipline issue will be outline by PBIS. Tate said the program creates a common language pinpointing how to determine if an offense is major or minor.
“The kids will all know what is expected of them,” she said, adding consequences of disruptive and negative behavior will be more clear to students, teachers and parents.
Falls Superintendent Nordy Nelson said he is pleased with the new program and is looking forward to seeing it develop.
“This is a plan everyone can buy into,” Nelson said of PBIS. “We need to make sure everyone is on the same page to address the positive behaviors of students. From what I’ve researched, this is probably one of the best things we can do for that.”
The superintendent added Falls High School will likely look to introduce the program next semester.
“They are on board,” he said of the high school’s administration and staff.
Tate stressed PBIS at Falls and West End Elementary is in its infancy stage and it will take three to five years to reach full implementation. In addition, she said an ultimate goal is to expand the program into the community.
“There are some communities where stores and restaurants give kids recognition,” she said. “It is something we’d definitely like to see, but we need to start small. We need to start right here.”
