By Kari Thompson,
Greenville Middle School
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports is a system which has been in place in many districts for quite some time. According to the Center of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, PBIS “is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health.” It is important as educators, para professionals, and other adults working with students in the field of education to instill this framework to better students as they grow.
As mentioned, PBIS works on a tiered system. There are three tiers within the concept. The first tier is a universal tier of supports focusing on at least 80% or more of the student body. The second tier is a secondary precaution in which 10-15% of the student body is focused upon to achieve success.
These students may receive some additional supports to hit their targets and goals. The final tier is the tertiary tier where students may receive individualized supports to help them achieve their goals.
Around 5-10 percent of the student body falls into this category. At Greenville Middle School, we have created a team for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support to help our students achieve success during each academic school year. Throughout each year, the team meets monthly to create small and large goals and incentives to tie into those goals. Our goal is to see our students commit to it 100 percent and do their absolute best. We work to select goals that follow the Wave Way Expectations we set each year for students. These goals include being respectful, responsible, kind and safe.
At Greenville Middle School, we focus on those expectations and have students work to achieve various goals such as attendance goals, homework goals, and behavior goals. Our PBIS team selects various activities and events throughout the year for students who achieve these larger goals such as dodgeball and kickball games, ice cream and Kona Ice treats, and we even bring in a DJ to have a dance party with the students. The PBIS team also sets smaller goals in which students recognized by their teachers through student of the month nominations and WAVE awards earned by showing they are following the Wave Way Expectations. Students can redeem those wave awards for small prizes or for chances at larger prizes throughout the year.
As the academic year continues, we at Greenville Middle School will continue to support our students through various events and activities to showcase student achievement goals. Our focus always remains the same, for our students to be the absolute best they can be. We also hope students will continue to show their understanding of these various skills into the future as they grow as students and into adulthood.
