Westwood Middle
School
Respectful
Responsible
Ready
Overview of Today’s Presentation
Today we are going to share with you some of the struggles
that we have had in our five years of Tier I Positive
Behavior Support. We are also going to share some
solutions that we have found and provide an opportunity for
us all to work together on some of your own struggles.
A Timeline of PBIS at Westwood
• Westwood traditionally had been a Junior High School with grades 7 – 9.
• The 2012 School Year was the firstt year we housed only grades 6-8. The
9th Graders were moved to the Coffee County Raider Academy.
• We focus on how to make incentives and initiatives appealing and
effective for 11 to 14 year-olds.
• We have seen positive trends in discipline data as well as academic
achievement.
A Successful School-wide PBIS School
(1 of 2)
Westwood Middle School is a Title 1 school located in southern Middle Tennessee. There are
360 students in grades 6-8. About 20% of our student body falls into the SPED category.
Although we are primarily comprised of economically disadvantaged Caucasian students we
have a substantial Hispanic population of about 15%. Nearly 64% of our students are
economically disadvantaged.
In the summer of 2009, staff from Westwood Middle agreed upon the need for improving
discipline in the school. Westwood staff formed a team of grade level teachers (one each from
grades 6-8), a special education teacher and the building administrator. They developed a plan
for reducing problem behaviors in the school and classrooms and implemented the plan in the
2009-2010 school year.
The school team met monthly and developed a set of school rules. They decided on behaviors
that were important to the school staff: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready. They developed
lessons for teaching these school rules and agreed as a staff to consistently enforce the rules.
A Successful School-wide PBIS School
(2 of 2)
The school also implemented a school-wide system called “Blast Passes.” The Blast
Passes listed all of the school rules and teachers were given stacks of the tickets.
Teachers and other staff agreed to “catch kids being good” by giving them a Blast Pass
and indicating the school rule that they were demonstrating. Students could place the
ticket in a bucket in the school cafeteria for a door-prize drawing at the end of the
week. The staff monitored how many tickets were distributed and who was receiving
them. The staff designed several other ways to recognize and reward good behavior in
the school.
Finally, parents and the community were involved as much as possible. Parents were
given information about the new program and expectations for students. Local
businesses gave incentives such as coupons and small items to use in the weekly
drawings.
Fostering and Developing Staff Buy-In: Focusing on
the Positive!
• At the beginning of the school year, a “PBIS refresher” is held
reviewing key beliefs of the PBIS program. A “first time” training
is held for new staff members.
• Throughout the school year, data is shared frequently in order to
foster buy-in and “problem solving” in order to develop and
maintain staff efficacy.
• “Celebrations” are shared at the beginning of each staff meeting
to foster the positive attitude necessary for PBIS success; staff
are encourage to share positive events as well as positive
encounters with students.
Adapting and Overcoming
BUY-IN
Some of the Westwood staff were resistant to change because they did not see
compelling reasons for change, and they didn’t understand the why they needed to
reward students for doing what they were supposed to be doing in the classroom.
Some of the older students resisted the system as well and were slower to come
around than the younger students.
As of now the majority of teachers here at Westwood support the system. Either
through seeing how the system has cut down behavior problems or just the brute
force and ignorance of the PBIS Team, the teachers are on board with the system.
The kids are seeing that there are tangible rewards for their behavior. The school
store has done wonders for getting the kids on board with the system.
Incentive System
When the PBIS system was first implemented, Blast Passes were given to students for
engaging in pro-social behavior at the school. Students would turn these tickets in to a
drawing for prizes (usually for soda or snacks). According to school personnel the
system was not working well, as students were not receiving the tickets consistently and
students were not turning the tickets in for the drawing of prizes. By the end of the
school year, Blast Passes were not being handed out and no drawings were taking
place.
We now have a school store up and running. It is operational every other week. It sells
everything from candy to ear buds. We also have a popsicle reward that can be earned
with Blast Passes.
Nine Week Celebration
At the end of every nine weeks we have a school wide celebration that the
students may attend if they have five Blast Passes. We show movies, allow
electronic devices to be used, the computer lab is open for games, etc.. This is
where we ran into the problem of recognizing the students who always do the
right thing. They were not being recognized for their behavior because they were
always good! Teachers then began “bumping up” their good students so they
could attend the celebration. That led the students to believe that they would be
“bumped up” no matter what and the celebration lost it’s meaning.
Now we make the students more accountable for earning Blast Passes. There is
no more “Bumping up” of students. We have made the celebration something
special. We have more to do. We sell popcorn and soda that can only be
purchased with Blast Passes. The students that don’t attend the celebration go to
study hall where they must do school work.
A few items “sold” at the PBIS store
Popsicles are passed out to
students
Administration’s Role
• Our administrators attend all PBIS meetings. At the meetings, “open and
honest” talk about school climate and data is supported and encouraged.
• Administrators privately “drill down” data (especially referral data) to particular
students in order to refer to interventions.
• Administration works together to address concerns raised by the PBIS team.
Support the use of incentives like Blast Passes and end of quarter incentive
events.
• Support staff by enforcing consistent discipline using the behavior matrix and a
developed discipline matrix.
• Constant self (and team) and program re-evaluation!
Referral Form Data
First Nine Weeks:
2009 - 94
2010 - 75
2011 - 29
2013 - 12
Second Nine Weeks:
2009 - 94
2010 - 129
2011 - 42
2013 - 10
14
Decreasing office referrals and
Increasing instructional time
In 2009, 10 minutes per referral results in 940 minutes of
missing instructional time.
Compared to:
2013 where 120 minutes of missing instructional time,
which was a gain of 820 minutes of instructional time
across the board
15
PBIS Summer Meetings
During the summers of 2013 and 2014 the PBIS team met at a team members
house to share ideas and create a vision for the middle school. The objective for
these meetings was to ensure that all teachers had the opportunity to participate in
building a common vision and collaborative framework to help youth to be
successful at the school and community. The team also described positive roles for
students to facilitate skill development and gave feedback on the target behavior
expectations developed by the PBIS team and on ideas for rewarding worthwhile
behavior among students. The ideas from these summer sessions were
summarized and presented and discussed during a staff in-service at the onset of
the school year.
PBIS Summer Conference Area
Blast Passes
• Students who consistently do the right thing will be recognized with
Blast Passes.
• Blast Passes were invented to reward students who have shown positive
behavior,
• These can be earned each quarter.
• Students can use their Blast Passes for drawings, entry to games and
activities, dance tickets, cafeteria items and more.
• Student names become part of a pool from which names are drawn for
special rewards.
Defining and Teaching Behavioral
Expectations
The School-wide PBIS team reviewed discipline referral summaries to help
determine the areas in which student behavior could be improved. The
predominate discipline difficulties the team wanted to address were: verbal and
physical harassment of students, fighting, and class disruption. Student behavior
was most troublesome in the hallways during passing times between classes. Based
on these targeted behaviors, the team defined the student behaviors that they
would like to see increase at the school. These behavior expectations were further
refined into separate rules. A small set of topics under each rule were established
and lesson plans to teach students the behavioral expectations were developed for
each topic.
Restroom
Hallway
Gym
(Including
Assemblies)
Bus
RESPECTFUL
• Flush the toilet.
• Keep walls free of writing.
• Use language that is not offensive to
others.
• Keep hands, feet, and objects to self.
RESPONSIBLE
READY
• Clean up after yourself.
• Exit quickly &
quietly.
• Carry a hall pass when
using the restroom during • Use bathroom
class time.
between classes
only when needed
• Use bathroom for intended
and when time
purposes only.
allows.
• Report trouble to an adult.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Walk on the “right” side of the
hallway.
Use an indoor voice.
Keep hands, feet and objects to self.
Follow directions.
Maintain personal space.
Use language that is not offensive to
others.
•
Put trash in trashcans.
•
Report trouble to an adult.
Have a hall pass if out of
•
assigned area.
Walk directly to next
•
assigned area.
Get necessary
materials from
locker.
Help someone if
they need it.
Keep your locker
organized.
•
•
•
Keep hands, feet, and objects to self. •
Follow directions.
•
Use language that is not offensive to
others.
•
Report trouble to an adult. •
Take care of equipment
and return it as directed. •
Secure all personal items.
Arrive to the gym in
a timely manner.
Move to assigned
spot quickly.
•
Keep hands, feet, and objects to self •
and inside bus.
Follow bus driver directions.
•
Remain quiet during directions.
Use an indoor voice.
Use language that is not offensive to
others.
Stay in designated
•
seat/space.
•
Have a note from parent if
change in transportation.
Be on time.
Gather all materials
before boarding or
exiting the bus.
•
•
•
•
RESPECTFUL
• Keep hands, feet, and objects to self.
• Use an indoor voice.
• Keep all food/drinks in cafeteria.
Cafeteria • Say “Please” and “Thank you” to the
staff.
• Chew with your mouth closed.
• Use language that is not offensive to
others.
• Follow directions.
• Give cars and buses the right of way by
using sidewalks and crosswalks.
Arrival/ • Avoid blocking the doors.
Dismissal • Use language that is not offensive to
others.
• Keep hands, feet and objects to self.
• Follow directions.
RESPONSIBLE
• Keep your area clean.
• Be a helper to those
who need it.
• Obtain all items first
time through the line.
•
•
•
•
Classroom •
•
•
•
•
Keep hands, feet, and objects to self.
Listen to person speaking.
Answer appropriately.
Be kind.
Follow directions.
•
•
•
READY
• Face forward and
be ready to pay or
give number.
• Line up calmly and
quietly.
• Arrive to the café
in a timely
manner.
Go directly to bus or car. •
Remain off campus once •
you have left.
Proceed to grade level
waiting area upon
•
entering the building
and wait for the bell to
dismiss you.
Enter/Exit through the
designated doors in an
orderly fashion.
Complete and turn in
assigned work.
Keep classroom and
area clean.
Participate in class.
•
•
Arrive on time.
Arrive and exit
with all materials
needed.
Follow the dress
code.
Be on time to
class.
Have ALL
materials ready.
Lesson Plan Example
Teaching Behavioral Expectations
For each rule and topic, the lessons outlined what students were expected to do,
how to teach the expected behavior, how to prevent the problem behaviors from
occurring, how to give both positive and corrective feedback to students, and how to
review the behavioral expectations with students regularly. The teaching strategies
incorporated into each lesson included an explanation of why the rule is important,
examples and non-examples of the expected behaviors, and practice for the students
via brainstorming, games, discussions, and role playing. To prevent problem behavior
each lesson outlined how to supervise students in the school settings and during
times which were most troublesome, as well as how and when to provide reminders
of the expected behaviors to students. These teaching strategies utilize effective
teaching practices based on instructional design for teaching concepts, as well as a
proactive approach for teaching social behavior.
Questions?
Thanks for Listening!
• Feel free to contact us at Westwood if you’d like to
know more:
 Karen Wainright - wainrightk@k12tn.net
 Jonathan Graf - jgraf@k12tn.net
 Jim Dobson - jdobson@k12tn.net