In the spring of 2017, Woods Education Department made a 3-5 year commitment to develop a School Wide Positive Behavior Support Plan (SWPBS) in our schools with the help of the Pennsylvania Positive Behavior Support Network. This network supports schools in creating and maintaining a comprehensive, school-based behavioral health support system in order to promote the academic, social and emotional well-being of students.
In general, SWPBIS emphasizes four integrated elements: (a) data for decision making, (b) measurable outcomes supported and evaluated by data, (c) practices with evidence that these outcomes are achievable, and (d) systems that efficiently and effective support implementation of these practices. (taken from http://www.papbs.org)
During the first phase of the plan (a year-long planning process), the core team for this project been working to complete assessments and training, as well as developing an implementation plan with the help of a consultant. Prior to this commitment, Brookwood School developed SWPBS classroom expectations for students and an acknowledgement system aligned to student performance. Students receive acknowledgement for demonstrating classroom expectations through the use of tickets. Those tickets are exchanged at school store for a variety of rewards and preferred activities that students select. In many cases the school restocks the store with items requested by the students. Brookwood has also been tracking problem behaviors and student acknowledgement rates for the past year. A student awards program has also been implemented for top performing students.
This spring, Woods will kick off Tier 1 of SWPBS, which will implement a student point system in all schools to track student behaviors. The education program will continue to work with a consultant to ensure that all elements of Tier 1 are being implemented consistently. Tier 2 and Tier 3 of the plan will be implemented at a later date for students who have more challenging behaviors for whom Tier 1 was not effective. For more information on SWPBS, visit http://www.papbs.org/.
