Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a proactive approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success. PBIS is an evidence-based three-tiered framework to improve and integrate all of the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes every day. PBIS creates schools where all students succeed.

This school year, ESSD kicked off the PBIS District Leadership Team (DLT) to revamp and renew our PBIS practices. This group began by taking the (District Systems Fidelity Inventory) DSFI to determine areas of focus as we rebuild PBIS capacity in our district. As a result of the inventory, the primary areas of development are Leadership, Training, and Coaching. Currently, the team is developing a 3-5 year Action Plan with these features in mind. The team meets monthly, has been divided into three subgroups, and most recently the work has been focused on:

1. Leadership – We are working towards developing communication systems for all stakeholders involved, as well as organizational systems, housing information, and facilitating the action plan.

2. Training- We are in the process of creating a district-wide handbook as well as establishing onboarding, and yearly training opportunities

3. Coaching- We are in the process of setting up a year-long timeline with regard to ongoing coaching for staff, request processes, and matching trained personnel with staff needs.

Each building staff has taken the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) to determine building-specific benchmarks. The DLT will lay the groundwork and subsequently, building leadership teams will use this work to support building practices and areas of focus. Members of the DLT will have an opportunity to present at and participate in the PBIS Summer Institute at the Lake of the Ozarks this summer. 

Your PBIS DLT members are:

Dr. Katie Andreasen, Kennedy Lynn; ECC
Dr. Jill Comstock, Patrick Casey; Lewis
Dr. Annette Shelton, Andrea Marsh; Elkhorn
Jessica Broadbent, Leslie Maddox; Cornerstone
Anneliese Tadlock, Leslie Horne; Middle School
Rick Schwab, Deanna Uptegrove; High School
Ben Rubey, Ashley Carter; Career Center
Amy Cook (district-wide)
Dr. Heather Gross; Central Office

– Dr. Heather Gross