The Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) Committee was created over the summer before the 2016-17 Clarke Central High School year. The PBIS Committee strives to promote good behavior amongst CCHS students through positive incentives. “The real push is to focus on positives instead of negatives ’cause we all know consequences don’t always solve problems,” CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Sheila Dunham said. Piktochart by Andrew Caldwell.
By ANDREW CALDWELL – Print Junior Copy Editor
The 2016-17 Clarke Central High School year has called for many changes, one being the addition of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) Committee.
In order to establish clear expectations for how Clarke Central High School students should behave, the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) Committee was established over the summer before the 2016-17 school year.
“The PBIS committee became a functioning active body this past summer. The district has been pushing for PBIS to become active in all of its schools. We identified members of the faculty to serve on committee at the end of last school year and we attended training sessions over the summer,” Assistant Principal Reginald Thomas said.
Due to past behavioral events at CCHS, administrators have implemented this committee to recognize both students and teachers for correct behavior. According to Associate Principal Dr. Sheila Dunham, before a committee like this is put into action, the rules must first be clearly established.
“The first thing that all the faculty members have to do and have to do well is to make sure everybody understands what those expectations are and to keep referring to them repeatedly, so we’ll all be on the same page,” Dunham said. “But secondly, it’s to focus on positives: reward students for doing well. It doesn’t have to be anything major. It can be a thank you, it can be a phone call, just acknowledging that you’re doing a good job and you’re doing the right thing.”
This drive for positivity is something freshman Jack Krohn believes will be effective.
“I feel like rewarding students might then give them a motive to act better rather than just getting a pat on the back or no form of recognition at all,” Krohn said. “As a student, I think it is a valid way ‘cause that really gives kids a reason to behave well.”
Principal Marie Yuran says the purpose of the committee is to be more preventative of any negative incidents happening throughout the school.
“That group of teachers — I think there’s about eight in total — look at what structures we can put in place to prevent negative situations from happening, as well,” Yuran said. “Anytime everyone knows what the expectations are and you know what your goal is, that’s gonna help the organization, whether it’s a school or any type of institution.”
Dunham notes the reason behind the the committee is to also bring about a change in perception for both students and administrators.
“We don’t want to think of students as a number. We don’t want students to be scared when they get a call to our office,” Dunham said.
Thomas, the administrator who oversees the committee, believes the PBIS Committee is one step to improve the climate and culture of the CCHS school environment.
“We’re asking our teachers to identify one student per week who (is) embodying Glad PRIDE — that’s preparedness, respect, integrity, determination and excellence — and we are hoping that we will give them some kind of tangible reward: gift certificates, things of that nature,” Thomas said. “Especially with students who aren’t necessarily used to being recognized for their positive behavior, if you know people care about you and they’re rewarding you for when you do right, your behavior tends to be that much better. When this happens, we will be a school of champions.”
