Character Corner
School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
Heatherwood Elementary is developing a PBS program at our school beginning this year. It is a long process in which some parts will begin soon, and others not until next fall. It requires a lot of planning and team work and we will be including parents in the process.
A major advance in school-wide discipline is the emphasis on school-wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of using a patchwork of individual behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school is implemented in areas including the classroom and nonclassroom settings (such as hallways, restrooms). Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (school-wide), secondary (classroom), and tertiary (individual) systems of support that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making problem behavior less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.
For more information please visit the PBS website at http://www.pbis.org
The Heatherwood Climate and Diversity Committee has implemented monthly character traits.
GRATITUDE
This year so far Heatherwood has been working on responsibility, respect, and now we are focusing on the character trait of gratitude. We work hard as a school and in individual classrooms to help our students learn what these words really mean. As parents you can help too!
Gratitude is defined as a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation. "Thank you" probably ranks among the first phrases you taught your children, and you keep reminding them to say thank you until, hopefully, it becomes an automatic response. Thankful people make our hearts smile, and they are pleasant to be around. If that isn't enough reason to focus on developing gratitude in your children, scientific studies have linked gratitude to mental and physical well-being and less stress. The best thing you can do to help your children develop a thankful heart is to be a good role model. Remember to say thank you to your children, your partner, the waiter or waitress who serves you in a restaurant, the shoe salesman, your bus drivers, etc.. At the dinner table, make it a practice of sharing the "highs" of your day and the good things that made you smile, laugh, and feel grateful. We are grateful for all the wonderful students and families we have here at Heatherwood, they make our hearts smile each and every day!
RESPONSIBILITY
RESPONSIBILITY is this month’s trait and RESPONSIBILITY has been highlighted in our Monday morning messages. This month’s Monday morning message, which has been presented by Mrs. Evans, discussed what it means to be responsible, examples of responsible staff members at Heatherwood and responsible role models in life. The character trait RESPONSIBILITY teaches children lessons about responsible and irresponsible behavior and shows how being a responsible person leads to good friendships and positive interpersonal relationships. You can reinforce this character trait message by discussing with your children people who are responsible do what they are supposed to do, do their best and work hard at what they do, think about how their actions affect others, and accept the consequences of their choices. Thank you to Mrs. Evans and the other climate members for developing this important educational program.