Being an Effective PBIS Coach Sarah Clay School Psychologist Howard County Public Schools

Today’s Agenda Introduction and Background Getting Started as a new PBIS school Tips for recruiting and maintaining a team Role of the PBIS coach Using Data for decision making Organization Tools Effective Team Meetings Questions?

Background Howard County –Suburban district located between Baltimore and Washington, DC –39 elementary schools, 18 middle and 12 high schools –Total enrollment: 49,748 students

Background Talbott Springs Elementary -Diverse Title 1 school Ethnicity 24% White 36.6% African American 26.5% Hispanic.8% Native American 3% Not reported 530 students 104 staff members

Background About Me –Assigned to Talbott Springs full time –Responsible for Assessment Individual and Team Consultation Small Group and Individual Counseling Instructional Intervention Team Crisis Intervention PBIS Coach

Getting Started Summer timing –Allows for planning and recruitment of team members –Plan for fall Kickoff with key elements Administrative Support –Crucial to successful coaching –Very helpful to have an administrator attend meetings At TSES assistant principal is co-chair of committee Commitment to schoolwide events and follow through on established procedures

Getting Started Use office referral and suspension data Academic data - increasing instructional time, statewide and local assessments Teacher or school climate survey data Informal data through looking at classroom management systems at the individual teacher level

Getting Started Agree on core rules All Staff commit to teaching the core rules throughout the building on multiple occasions At Talbott Springs: Go Red –Be Respectful –Be rEsponsible –Be Determined

Recruiting a Core Team Key “players” in your building Representation across grade levels and roles –Paraeducators, related arts staff, special ed, ELL etc. Seek out staff members with particular talents Staff with behavioral expertise Consider getting the “naysayers” on your side Extend personal invitations

Making PBIS a Priority Scheduled meeting times that will not be cancelled or interrupted –More at the beginning Insert some PBIS discussion at school events –Back to school night –Other special events –Faculty meetings Ensure buy-in from team leaders

Your Role as a PBIS Coach Surround yourself with a good team! Collect statewide data –Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ) –Implementation Phases Inventory (IPI) –Schoolwide Evaluation Tool (SET) Lead the team through creation of an action plan Attend training and bring back knowledge to your school team

Your role as PBIS Coach Use Action plan to drive team goals

Your role as a PBIS Coach Coach vs. Team Leader –Co-coaching model Duties to be shared with Team Leader –Setting agenda and running team meetings –Organizing schoolwide events –Daily maintenance of tokens & rewards –Data entry and analysis

Using Data to Make Decisions SWIS data Helpful to have a sub-committee or smaller group to dig into the student data Consider developing yellow and red zone interventions (this may be year 2 or 3) –Check in/check out –Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans when needed –Individualized interventions –Family involvement

Using Data to Make Decisions Trend data can be helpful Organize schoolwide interventions or booster sessions based on data collected Examine existing structures and staff/student ratios Share with staff through committee meetings or faculty meetings

Using Data to Make Decisions

Examples: –Based on historical monthly data our PBIS team organized schoolwide student raffles during February and April –Next year plan for “booster sessions” in highest referral months

Using Data to Make Decisions

Countywide HCSPS focused on training to improve classroom management At school level we looked at restructuring playground options –Assigned stations –Worked with staff on increased active supervision –Started “Fitness Fridays”

Using Data to Make Decisions

At the Red Zone level examine individual student data Interventions for this student focused on providing positive adult attention throughout the day Other ideas?

Organizational Tools Binder for minor incident reports and Office Referrals Coach’s Binder Minutes from meetings –Helpful to share with entire staff Publish dates on schoolwide calendar

Effective Team Meetings Set and send out agenda in advance Focus on broad schoolwide data not individual students During year 1 allow time for trouble shooting –may need to meet more than once a month Build in booster sessions for the adults –Secure time on faculty meeting agenda for mid- year check-in Address questions/concerns from staff

Effective Team Meetings Assign roles for follow up at the meeting –Sub committees where needed –E.g. prize cart, schoolwide events Get students involved Look to people outside the team who have special knowledge or skills Crucial to link back with entire staff for feedback Recognize things will get easier after the first year!

Ideas for Low Cost Schoolwide Events Staff talent show Dance party Kickball or basketball (grade vs. grade or staff vs. students) Special art project time Obstacle course in the gym Assembly where middle or high school kids perform Pajama Day

Ideas for Low Cost Weekly Prizes Lunch with a teacher Lunch at a special table Reader on morning announcements Sit at teacher’s desk for the day Line leader for the day Basketball time at the end of the day Computer time No homework pass

Questions? Sarah Clay, School Psychologist Howard County Public Schools –