Arizona schools win awards for positive behavior changes
by Sarah Ruf, Community Relations Specialist
More than 60 schools recognized for reducing discipline referrals, creating positive environments
Our Council recently had the opportunity to share in recognizing more than 60 public and charter schools from across Arizona for their accomplishments in establishing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in their school environments. Held on April 29, the PBISAz Achievements Award Luncheon recognized school performance by giving gold, silver and bronze awards to winning schools.
Congratulations to the five gold winners: Holbrook Junior High in Holbrook, Trailside Point School in Laveen, Sharp School in Mesa, Lake View Primary in Page and Lowell Elementary in Phoenix.
Earning the PBISAz Gold Award is a big deal. It takes time and effort for school teams to go through the training and coaching required to make significant changes in discipline practices for all students at each school, says Dr. Dan Davidson, the PBIS coordinator funded by the Council. For a full list of the 2016 winners, click here for the PBISAz roster of schools who won.
We first became interested in PBIS as a result of growing concerns over the use of restraints and seclusion used in Arizona schools to control behavior. Students with developmental disabilities are most vulnerable to the use of restraints and seclusion, and often suffer the most severe outcomes. Since no federal law bans the practice and Arizona state law contains numerous loopholes, it appeared an alternative approach could reduce the use of tactics which have a minimum impact of stigmatizing, traumatizing and interrupting the learning process of students. The worst outcomes have been recorded as injuries and deaths across the United States among all age groups.
PBIS is a fantastic alternative to restraint and seclusion. By focusing on a proactive approach, PBIS can be a culture changer involving students, teachers, teacher aides, administrators, janitors, cooks and everyone else who is part of the school environment. Administrators and teachers report a more positive school climate, along with fewer office referrals, fewer suspensions, and fewer school-related arrests after following the PBIS process successfully.
The primary focus of PBIS is not academic, but is centered instead on social behavior. You can learn more by visiting the PBISAz website and clicking on the “PBIS Overview.”
The Institute for Human Development (IHD) at Northern Arizona University is a vital partner in sponsoring workshops and trainings in our PBISAz schools. You can learn more about the collaboration by visiting the Community Programs page on the IHD website and clicking on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.
We'd also like to thank KOI Education for their hard work spreading the PBIS gospel throughout our target schools. Keep up the good work!
