August 2012
Dear Hall Parents,
We are excited to start a new school year and our 1st year to be a Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) School. Behavior and school climate is a priority at Hall Elementary; it is one of the top goals outlined in our School Improvement Plan (SIP).
What is PBIS? Put simply, it is a proactive approach to school-wide discipline. This initiative is meant to reinforce the positive behaviors of students doing what is expected of them as well as support students who need extra assistance to reach the school-wide expectations of being Safe, Respectful, and Responsible learners. The goal is to decrease the number of discipline referrals, which will increase the amount of instructional time our students will receive. Through this process we will be consistently and continuously defining, teaching, reinforcing, and monitoring positive behaviors.
On the next page, you will find a copy of Hall’s Behavior Expectations (known as the matrix). This matrix will govern all areas of the school. The language on the matrix is important. By using the language on the matrix, students will hear consistent vocabulary from all adults in the school setting. The consistency will allow students to be familiar and understand the expectations for their behavior in all settings of the school, no matter which adult is monitoring behavior. Creating an environment where all adults are using the same common language will make the expectations clear to the students. Please look over the matrix and discuss with your child. You can also view videos on our website that we have produced for students to watch while beginning the implementation process.
You will also find a copy of the Office Referral Form on our website. The information on this form has been determined by examining the criteria of the“Big 5.” The Big 5 has schools examine the average number of referrals per day, the location of the referrals, the time of the referrals, the problem behaviors in the referrals, and the number of referrals per student so that each school can make a plan to meet the needs of their students, staff, and school. We have also included the motivation as this is important in helping the team develop a plan for those students that need extra support.
Students will earn “Braves Bucks” for exhibiting appropriate behaviors. The following outlines the procedures:
- Teachers and support staff are encouraged to reward students with Braves Bucks in all settings of the school and throughout the school day for meeting expectations.
- It is the students’ responsibility to keep track of their tickets.
- Students will be able to redeem their Braves Bucks monthly at the Hall Store.
PBIS is truly a win-win initiative for our students, our staff, and our school. Our expectation is that we keep the excitement going throughout the year and truly impact student achievement through the use of Positive Behavior Supports.
Thank you,
Positive Behavior Support Team
