UW Lab School

Positive Behavior

Interventions & Support

(PBIS)

Staff Manual

2016-2017

UW Lab School

Positive Behavior Interventions & Support

(PBIS)

Mission:

Our mission at the UW Lab School is to create a positive learning community that will recognize, foster, and assess continuous improvement toward high levels of academic and social achievement for ALL students, pre-service teachers, faculty and staff.

The UW Lab School recognizes that problem behavior in schools is both a

significant social challenge and a barrier to effective learning. The school acknowledges the interdependent relationship between academic achievement and behavioral competence. We are dedicated to promoting an environment that optimizes opportunities for teaching and learning. In order to achieve our mission of creating a positive learning community that supports high levels of academic and social achievement, a Positive Behavior Support System for classroom and school-wide behavior management was adopted. A continuum of academic and behavioral supports exists to assist students and teachers in developing positive learning skills and environments.

UW Lab School Rules and Behavior Expectations:

The UW Lab School Rules are:

Be Responsible
Be Safe
Show Kindness and Respect

Each student has the right to learn and each teacher has the right to teach. A respectful environment is everyone’s right and responsibility. Students attending the UW Lab School are expected to:

demonstrate safety, responsibility, kindness and respect through actions and language
show respect for school property and the property of others
recognize individual responsibilities and obligations

Following is the UW Lab School Rules and Behavioral Expectations Matrix. This matrix shows the school rules and outlines behavior expectations for specific settings and situations within the school.

To maintain consistency throughout the school, it is important that the expectations are taught to all students. However, teachers may allow students to generate the expectations and/or use “student generated” or “student friendly” language for the expectations, as long as they are guided to include similar minimum expectations as are provided in the matrix.

Dealing with Problem Behaviors within a PBIS System:

At the UW Lab School, problem behaviors have been divided into Major and Minor offenses.

For Minor behavior infractions, the initial responsibility is on the classroom teacher. Teachers use their classroom-level management systems to support students in following classroom and school expectations (See Levels of Support/Level One). Teachers are expected to utilize additional “interventions” or instructional strategies to help support students who are consistently not following expectations. Teachers should also reflect on how they are reinforcing both positive and problem behavior (ratio of four positive acknowledgements to one negative one). If after implementing additional “interventions” or instructional strategies to re-teach the expected behavior and support positive behavior, the student continues to disrupt the instructional environment, parent notification/involvement should take place (See Levels of Support/Level Two). If problem behavior does not change after Level One and Level Two supports have been utilized, the student can be referred to the conference room (See Levels of Support/level Three). Referral to the conference room at this point is justified and appropriate in order to maintain effective classroom learning and provide a higher level of support to the student demonstrating problem behavior.

For Major behavior infractions, the student can be sent directly to the office for intervention and supports. The behavior infraction will also result in disciplinary action at the discretion of the principal.

The goal of the office referral process is to provide an additional level of intervention support to teachers and students. This support extends the school’s ability to address major behavior infractions and minor repeated behaviors before they develop into more sustained behavioral difficulties. The support is designed to compliment what teachers are doing in the classroom by providing additional instruction about classroom and school-wide expectations. Additional intervention and teaching is provided using examples and non-examples, role plays, and topic-focused instruction, as well as implementing additional interventions that support student skills in consistently following classroom and school expectations. When students are sent to the office, parents will be notified and there may be disciplinary action from the principal (See Range of Disciplinary Action).

Definition of Types of Behavior

Minor Behavior Infractions

Minor behavior infractions are those actions that distract or disrupt the class and/or the teacher to impact the learning environment and instructional time. Minor behavior infractions include:

Disruptive Behavior (Including Horseplay and Play Fighting)
Defiant or Disrespectful Behavior (Insolence, Rudeness, Talking back, etc.)
Out of Seat Behavior (Leaving seat, group, or classroom inappropriately)
Not following Rules
Non-compliance (Not following reasonable directions/requests, not participating in classroom lessons/activities, etc.)
Talking out of Turn
Teasing and or Put-downs
Not Prepared for Class (material and/or homework)
Unexcused tardies
Dress Code Violation (Clothing or symbols that advertise or promote alcohol, drugs, gangs, racial disharmony, profanity, and/or apparel deemed inappropriate for a school setting)
Electronic Devices or Toys (Cell Phones, Games, Pagers, etc. in use during school hours)
Other

Major Behavior Infractions

Major behavior infractions result in immediate removal from the classroom to the PBIS room. Major behaviors infractions include:

Inappropriate, Abusive, or Foul Language (written or verbal) or Gestures
Harassment/Bullying (Verbal or physical actions toward another person or group directed toward emotional, racial, physical or sexual content or have become a pattern of behavior – more than once)
Fighting, Physical Aggression, or Other Out of Control Actions
Truancy (Absent from school without an excuse, Off school grounds without permission, Not in scheduled class, etc.)
Stealing
Vandalism (Deliberately defacing school property or property of staff/students)
Weapons
Cheating
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco (Under influence and/or in possession)
Inappropriate Use of Internet/Computer

Levels of Support

The UW Lab School approaches behavior utilizing a three-tiered level of support model. Each level is based on an assumption that drives the nature, location, and individuals involved in the support.

Behavioral Assumption at Level One:

80% of the students are believed to be able to consistently follow school-wide rules and expectations when this level of school-wide management is provided.

Level One: All Students

This is the first level of behavioral support provided to students at the UW Lab School. Each teacher has a specific classroom-based management system that they implement within their classroom to support school-wide rules and behavioral expectations. This classroom-based system will utilize a variety of instructional strategies to reinforce and review school-wide rules and expectations.

Teacher Strategies Typically Implemented at Level One:

School rules and classroom expectations clearly posted within the classroom
Rules and expectations are directly and explicitly taught to the class
Teacher review of expectations when transitioning between activities
Acknowledgement and reinforcement of appropriate expected behaviors
Whole-class re-teaching of classroom expectations throughout the year
Group goal-setting (If 100% of the students turn in their homework, the class will receive 5 additional minutes of recess)
Clear consequences established for students who demonstrate behavior that is not consistent with school and/or classroom rules and expectations

Behavioral Assumption at Level Two:

Some students will require a more individualized approach to managing their behaviors. This level of support is believed to prevent the onset of sustained behavioral problems. The individualized focus can help students change behavioral patterns before they are practiced, reinforced and sustained.

Teachers are directed to contact parents if individual classroom supports are being used to promote appropriate behaviors. This contact should be used to gather information, review current strategies being implemented for managing student behavior and brainstorm additional supports to help the student behave appropriately. (See Phone Script). This should be a positive contact with the parent, emphasizing we are beginning to see this as a “behavioral pattern,” gathering information about why parents think this is a problem, and working together as a team to brainstorm a general plan for “What can we do to support the student?” Lastly, parents should be notified that the office referral process will be a next step.

Phone Script for Contacting Parents

Sample: Hi Mr./Mrs. XXXXX. I am ZZZZ’s classroom teacher. I want you

to know that I am very pleased with ZZZZ’s (i.e., participation in class and his willingness to share his ideas). However, he is now on his third incidence of disrupting the classroom through talking out, bothering students who are working, and throwing pencils across the room. I am calling to see if you have any additional ideas about how to support ZZZZ in safely and appropriately participating in the classroom. I have reviewed the expectations with ZZZZ, removed him to a quiet spot for short breaks, and offered him alternative seating. I have also addressed my concerns with ZZZZ and he reported that he forgets the expectations or just can’t control his actions. It sounds like he needs additional support around the classroom expectations and his ability to control his own actions. What do you think?

Level Two: Some Students

This is the second level of behavioral support provided to students at the UW Lab

School. Each teacher has a specific classroom-based management system that they implement within their classroom to support students who are consistently having difficulties following the school-wide rules and behavioral expectations. This classroom-based system will utilize various instructional strategies to reinforce and review school-wide rules and expectations. However, they will be used more frequently, intensely, and/or at a more individualized level than the General Classroom Support Level (Level One).

Teacher Strategies Typically Implemented at Level Two:

Careful consideration of the ratios of reinforcement being used within the classroom (What types of behavior am I reinforcing? Am I keeping a ratio of about four positive acknowledgements to every negative one?)
Use of pre-correction or reminders to help students think about what they will be doing next
Clear review, with individual student, of class/school expectations
Offering students alternate behaviors to achieve the same goal
Clearly identifying the “target” behavior and making it operational (How can I state the behavior so that I can measure it?)

Behavioral Assumption at Level Three:

20% of students are believed to need individualized support at either the secondary (Classroom with more frequent, intensive, and/or individualized support) or tertiary (Special Education) level. These supports may be defined through a Behavior Intervention Plan.

Some students require more explicit teaching and practice of behavioral expectations to consistently follow classroom expectations. These students typically require a higher level of reinforcement than other students. A specific plan is necessary for managing behaviors. A referral to the school counselor to consider skill training or a supportive counseling group may also be recommended.

Teachers may choose to bring the student to the Principal, the SAT team, the school counselor, the teaching team, etc. to brainstorm additional classroom interventions

Level Three: 20% of Students

This is the third level of behavioral support provided to students at the UW Lab School. This level of support occurs when there has been little or no change in student behavior using Level 1 and Level 2 supports. A referral to the office is now highly recommended.

School-based Strategies Typically Implemented at this Level:

Student will go to the office to complete a reflection form and work through a behavioral lesson on Responsibility, Safety, Kindness or Respect.
Student may be enrolled in an intervention and support program such as Check and Connect (a system that promotes student responsibility and a connection with an adult)
A referral to the school counselor may occur and support through individual skill development or group counseling support may be recommended
The referring teacher may receive support in brainstorming additional classroom interventions from the principal, the SAT Team, the school counselor, and/or the teaching team
A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) may be developed that will document the strategies to be implemented and the amount of support needed to change student behavior
Disciplinary action will be recommended at the discretion of the principal
UW Lab School

Relationship Between Unacceptable Behavior

and Disciplinary Action

Behavior Range of Disciplinary Action

Minimum Maximum

MINOR BEHAVIORS

Disruptive Behavior Warning/Reminder Repeated minor behaviors will
Defiant or Disrespectful result in a referral to the PBIS
Out of Seat Behavior Teacher Intervention Conference Room.
Not following Rules & Re-Teaching
Non-compliance Consequences may include:
Talking out of Turn Parent Notification – Loss of Privilege/Recess
Teasing and or Put-downs – In School Suspension (ISS)
Not Prepared for Class – Lunch or After School Detention
Unexcused tardies – Peer Mediation
Dress Code Violation – Conference with Teacher, Parent,
Electronic Devices and/or Principal
Other – Counseling

– Behavior Plan

– Other

MAJOR BEHAVIORS

Inappropriate, Abusive, or PBIS Referral Detention

Foul Language and Gestures Conference w/ Principal In-School Suspension

Parent Notification

Apology/Retribution

Harassment/Bullying PBIS Referral Meeting with Youth Officer Parent Notification Detention

Conference w/ Principal In-School Suspension

Counseling Out-of School Suspension

Bullying Class Recommendation for Expulsion

Fighting, Physical Aggression, etc. PBIS Referral Meeting with Youth Officer