The movement among schools looking for proven, research-based ways to create a safe and positive school climate is being seen among the frigid campuses of rural Minnesota.
Rippleside Elementary School in Aitkin County, MN, is in the fourth year of implementing their School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) program they call “Catching the Wave.”
And in light of the great results they’ve seen with the program, they plan on riding that wave for some time.
The Program Begins
Rippleside’s story begins when the Minnesota Department of Education (MNDE) began working with Dr. George Sugai of the National Center for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. With his help and a $348,000 grant from the MNDE, Minnesota created a state leadership team, action plan, and blueprint to assist schools ready to implement PBIS.
In 2012, Rippleside designated a leadership team to be taught by the state’s training program, a sequence of trainings that can take up to two years to complete. When they came back, the entire district was ready to implement the new behavioral support program.
“We have built the program slowly and in stages,” said Julie Jensen, Aitkin School District’s program coordinator. “Every school implementing PBIS takes the eight-step framework and then creates procedures and programming tailored to fit their school and community.”
For Rippleside, some of the procedures include taking the first two days of school for students to practice the expected behaviors in different places on the school campus like the bus, cafeteria, and hallways. They create posters explaining the expected behaviors and post them in visible spots around the campus.
The principal of the school, Jesse Peterson, is highly involved and has nothing but praise for the program:
“PBIS has been an effective framework for all students, staff, and parents to learn from. We constantly teach all groups to respect each other and be responsible for our own actions. Each year, we are challenged to improve our process. Our rallies are a highlight for our school. Listening to 630 kids chant our four main goals during our PBIS rallies is truly a great sound to hear.”
There are seven key components to Rippleside’s success.
1. They have a clear mission statement.
The mission of Rippleside’s Catch the Wave program is “to create an effective learning community in which all members are actively contributing through the consistent practice of respect, responsibility, safety, and positive attitudes.”
We encourage every school that plans to adopt any behavior support program to craft a concise, comprehensive mission statement that communicates to all stakeholders what the intended outcome is.
This step is essential to gaining the necessary buy-in from all the parties involved: parents, students, teachers, and administrators.
2. They defined their expected behaviors.
Rippleside calls their expected behaviors “The Ripple Effect” and encourages students, teachers, and parents alike to join in promoting and following these behaviors. The Ripple Effect is:
- We are respectful.
- We are always responsible.
- We are very safe.
- We have an excellent attitude.
3. They’ve created procedures for teaching and practicing their expected behaviors.
Every month, Rippleside focuses on a behavioral theme. Every day, teachers conduct three- to five-minute conversations about that month’s behavioral expectation along with activities and lessons with an additional fifteen to 20-minute lesson once a week.
4. They’ve instituted policies for taking care of poor behavior.
Even the best laid plans and programs won’t eliminate all bad behaviors. But with the PBIS framework, teachers know exactly how to handle unacceptable behavior quickly and consistently.
5. They’ve set up procedures for record-keeping and decision making based on the records.
Rippleside leaders analyze the data frequently to see which behavioral expectations are succeeding and which ones need help.
The data also shows administrators and teachers where and when the unacceptable behaviors tend to occur. These insights allow Rippleside leaders to address poor behaviors in a strategic, proactive manner.
6. They encourage family awareness and involvement.
Rippleside’s webmaster constantly updates the school website with news about the PBIS functions as well as the expected behavior of the month. They ask parents to talk to their kids at home about the expected behavior of the month in the same way the teachers are focusing on the theme.
For example:
School Update: PBIS in Your Home!
During the month of March, Rippleside Elementary will be focusing on anger management skills. The PBIS team at Rippleside Elementary recommends teaching your child how to respond appropriately when someone becomes mad.
7. They acknowledge good behavior.
On the school’s website is a list of students who’ve been exemplary in carrying out The Ripple Effect. They also have special activities and prizes for students who perform well.
School-wide implementation of PBIS is the key to success.
In SchoolMint Hero schools, we see high rates of success when schools adopt a school-wide positive behavior strategy rather than letting individual classrooms push their favorite program forward.
A small group of passionate believers is not enough to effect real change. The entire school — from the superintendent to the grounds crew — must understand and adopt the principles of the PBIS initiative as their own.
The other key to success as shown here in Rippleside is the collection and analysis of behavioral data. Real-time data capturing and easy reporting give students and families immediate feedback and schools the perspective they need to see what is (and is not) working in their program.
We commend Rippleside on their great work and hope more schools nationwide “Catch the Wave” and follow suit with implementing their own school-wide positive behavior plans.
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