Elementary teachers receive state award

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Members of the Charles City Community School District’s elementary school staff received a state-wide award for the outstanding and innovative ways they have implemented the PBIS system.

They were recognized during professional development at the high school on Friday and received banners.

PBIS stands for “Positive Behavior, Interventions and Supports.” The schools have different teams throughout the buildings that plan events to encourage positive behavior in students. They received the award because the two elementary buildings are implementing PBIS with fidelity.

Charles City K-4 Success Coach Marie Conklin said there is a mini-course event planned for May 18, which will involve several community organizations, as well as the teachers and some high school students.

“We’re trying make it kind of a big event that ties it all together,” she said.

PBIS is a program which comes up with proactive strategies for defining, teaching and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments.

Instead of using a piecemeal approach of individual behavioral management plans, a system of positive behavior support for all students within a school is implemented in areas including the classroom and non-classroom settings such as hallways, buses and restrooms.

“The whole purpose of PBIS is to inform us that behavior needs to be taught. We aren’t born with these skills, we have to teach and reinforce those skills,” Conklin said. “Our teachers are working day-in and day-out to try to encourage positive behavior and teach those skills.”