School-Wide Positive Behavior Support
Schnecksville Elementary School is in the second year of a School Wide Positive Behavior Program (SWPB). The program fosters a positive school environment so that all students can be academically successful. The goal of the SWPB program is to recognize and reward students who meet the school’s behavioral expectations. The school’s mascot, the Shark, has become the inspiration for the design of the program. At Schnecksville, students are expected to be good SHARKs.
Safe
Helpful
Accountable
Respectful
Kind
The Schnecksville staff received training from the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit on developing a SWPB program. The Schnecksville staff developed behavioral expectations for several areas, which include the classroom, hallway, cafeteria, bathrooms, bus and playground. At the start of the school year, students are taught about the expectations in each area. Student are also taught that every action has a consequence and that making a good choice will keep them out of trouble. Once they have been taught about good choices, the staff then recognizes positive behavior through different methods. Each staff members along with the bus drivers carries a lanyard that contains blue SHARK slips. When a student is observed meeting the expectations in any area, the staff member reinforces the positive behavior by providing praise and the student is given a blue SHARK slip. At the end of the day, teachers collect and place the blue SHARK slips in a grade level container, which is in the office. During Wednesday’s News program, 3 slips per grade level are randomly chosen. The winners come to the office to pick a prize from the treasure chest. In addition, 10 staff members are randomly selected each day to receive a red SHARK slip. Staff members give these slips out to students who are observed meeting and often exceeding the expectations. Students who are given a red slip come to the office to sign the Guest Book. Next, they select a number from 1-200 from a small treasure chest. Another student cannot pick that number. The student then goes to the bus lobby and their red slip is placed in the Principal’s Shark Tank on the spot that matches their number. The office then makes a phone call home to each student who receives a red slip that day. The call alerts the family about the positive behavior the child demonstrated. Once all of the spaces in a row or column on the Principal’s Shark Tank are filled, every student in that row or column receives a mystery prize. Those prizes have included having a special lunch served to them by the principal, extra recess, electronics time, and a healthily treat.
In the event that a student does have trouble with his or her behavior, the SWPB program also has a process to help students manage their behavior. Behavioral interventions are designed for students who need more support than provided through the core program. Typically the need for intervention is evidenced by repeated office discipline referrals in a short periods of time. A student who is struggling can receive booster lessons on the expectations. In addition, individual incentive plans can be developed to address a student’s specific behavior. Additional staff members such as Ms. Gilmore, our guidance counselor, can provide small group or individual instruction on coping skills, decision-making and thinking before making a choice.
The program has been successful and judging by the decrease in bus referrals, office referrals and an observed increase in positive behavior by all students, the staff feels the program is helping students not only behave better but learn better, too. The students have continued to be excited by the positive reinforcement of the SHARK slips and are demonstrating positive SHARK behavior.