Facilitating and Sustaining
a Community of Practice
Building an Efficient Structure for PBIS in
Your School
"The task of the leader is to get his people from where
they are to where they have not been."
Henry Kissinger
Pursuing the Path of PBIS
The Journey of a Sustainable
System is Not Always Straight
Efficiency is…
Time
Stress
Create and Build Efficiency within
the PBIS Team and the
School Culture
Use tools to coordinate all
efforts
Get organized
Empower the staff
Tools for Efficiency
 Sustainability and Fidelity Tools
Self-Assessment Survey (SAS)
Team Implementation Checklist (TIC)
Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ)
Benchmarks for Advanced Tiers (BAT)
 Coaches’ Year at a Glance
Time frame for internal and external coaches of fidelity and sustainability
practices
 PBIS at a Glance
Framework of monthly themes, celebrations, cool tools, and acknowledgements for
PBIS team and school staff
 Monthly Calendar
Outline of monthly theme, implementation tips, cool tools and acknowledgements for staff
 Team Meeting Agendas
Consistent format for goals of the PBIS team and roles of the team members
Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ)
The BOQ is completed by the PBIS team each spring. It
helps the team identify areas of success and
areas for improvement.
It measures the fidelity and sustainability of
PBIS practices in the school.
PBIS Team
Implementation Plan
Effective Procedures for Dealing with
Discipline
Classroom Systems
Reward/Recognition Program
Established
Evaluation
Use the BOQ to :
set yearly team and school implementation goals
inform team and staff of strengths and areas of improvement
include goals in each meeting agenda and incorporate in team member roles
monitor progress of team and school culture throughout year (Example)
Coaches’ Year at a Glance
This tool of efficiency:
guides the external and internal coaches with leadership
tasks
frames the key components for the implementation and
sustainability actions of the PBIS team
supports a proactive and positive school culture
incorporates the use of data and a systems approach to
implementing behavior and academic goals
is available on the Wisconsin PBIS network website (Example)
Team Agendas
This tool of efficiency:
provides a consistent framework for the “business” of
PBIS to be accomplished
gives PBIS team members and other guests
the opportunity to be involved and invested in the work
that has to be accomplished
focuses on PBIS team goals and keeps them visible the
entire year
keeps track of attendance and topics of discussion easily
for each meeting
allows meetings to run smoothly and efficiently in order to
make the most of time (Tier 1) (Tier 2)
PBIS at a Glance
This tool of efficiency:
provides the PBIS team and entire school staff with the
overview of all the PBIS activities for the school year
publishes the monthly theme, cool tools,
acknowledgments, and all-school celebrations
constructs the vision and road map for the PBIS team and
guides the tasks to be accomplished
allows grade level teams to individualize and develop their
specific behavior needs around the themes and cool
tools (Example)
Monthly Calendars
This tool of efficiency:
supports and links to PBIS at a Glance
communicates the expectations for behavior and
academic goals to the teaching staff
provides teaching staff with the details and teaching
materials for Cool Tools, acknowledgements or other
resources for the month
offers monthly tips to support positive behavior in the
classroom and for the school culture
allows grade level teams to make adjustments in the
schedule or teaching methods (example)
Get Organized!
Determine how PBIS
resources will be
saved and distributed.
Why Organization is Important
It embodies the culture and practice of key PBIS
features for the team, all staff and the students.
All staff can share the work, USE the materials, and
be expected to support a positive school culture.
Team members and staff can expect the
expected…not the unexpected.
It allows all staff to plan ahead, participate in plans
and bring ideas to meetings and grade level teams.
The framework for academics and behavior can be
linked in order to standardize the system.
It saves time because the activities and the work is
done thoughtfully and with purpose.
Tips for Organization
PBIS materials can be organized with:
3-ring binders for team members, grade level teams, key
staff members, or a central location for binders
a shared site on the network server
a school website link
emails and other communication
paper copies to staff as needed
NEVER assume that communication or teaching materials
that are emailed to the staff are printed and used!
Make it easy, accessible, and do-able.
Organizing the Practice of PBIS
The framework of efficiency and sustainability is supported with:
consistent meeting dates and times that all team members
and administrators acknowledge and respect (Example)
dates and activities that are aligned with the school calendar
(vacations, parent/teacher conferences, grading periods)
consistent meeting formats and meeting notes that are sent to team
members and staff
allotted time for PBIS at each staff meeting and administrative
meeting
everyone having a role so that “many hands make light work” and
the vision is shared by everyone
As a leader and coach it is crucial to be mindful of the pulse of the team at
any given week or month during the school year.
It is also crucial to address the different needs and personalities of the staff
as you plan and implement the activities and materials.
Empower the Staff
Provide a supportive and flexible
framework to allow staff to adapt
to specific needs.
The Importance of
Empowerment
Empowerment increases the buy-in of PBIS. PBIS becomes “us”
and “we.”
It creates unity of the staff through the common language and goals
for all students.
Empowerment increases the involvement at all levels and of
all competencies.
It shares the work and the JOY of PBIS with everyone in the
school.
This creates the foundation for staff to collaborate and
problem solve for the good of everyone.
Empowerment gives permission to the staff to adapt or
adjust for their grade level needs and resources.
Tools for Empowerment
Staff empowerment is carefully guided
with:
PBIS at a Glance
monthly calendars
behavior and academic goal setting for school
and grade levels (example of student goals)
flexibility of acknowledgements to meet grade
level needs (embed practice with student planner)
flexibility of schedules
Just a Thought…
With empowerment coaches need to:
let go
trust the staff
gauge the pulse and monitor the culture
be able to support or guide when necessary
PBIS Teams Travel the Path on a
Journey to Fidelity and
Sustainability
Efficiency
Is the KEY!
Efficiency is Obtained
Through…
Tools of Efficiency
Organization
Empowerment
“The task of leadership is not to
put greatness into humanity, but
to elicit it, for the greatness
is already there.”
John Buchan
Your greatness is already there!
Terri Hanson
Altoona Middle School
thanson@altoona.k12.wi.us