PBIS

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

Social-emotional learning plays a huge role in who we are and what we do at Pinewood.  Our Pinewood Pledge serves as our core from which all of our building expectations and social emotional learning is rooted.

Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, our school adopted the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports framework (PBIS) to improve student academic and behavior outcomes. A main focus of using the PBIS framework is to clearly communicate, model and teach the expected behaviors.  We have created a standard set of expectations for common areas throughout the school in order to ensure predictable environments for students. These expectations are posted in the cafeteria, hallways, near the restrooms, and on the playground.  Each teacher has also created their own lists to help the students know the expected behaviors for their classroom communities. 

In addition to the pledge and common expectations, we utilize the Second Step program as our core resource for social-emotional instruction.  The goal of these lessons is to help students better understand, manage, and express emotions.  The program also helps students develop skills to navigate conflicts.  Students and teachers reflect upon social emotional growth throughout the year utilizing our Character Progress Report.

Student efforts are celebrated at monthly assemblies focusing on character development and through “Good News” shoutouts on our morning broadcasts.  Additionally, students who exemplify the Pinewood Pledge with a guest teacher can be nominated to receive a “Subs from Subs” recognition for their exemplary behavior.

Each day at Pinewood begins and ends in community through morning meeting and closing circles.  These meetings incorporate games and opportunities for students to share; thereby building relationships and connections that contribute to healthy classroom cultures.

We strive to meet the social emotional needs of each child through a multi-tiered systems (MTSS) approach.  Within every classroom, there is a dedicated space with common tools for students to take-a-break when they need to refocus or regulate.  Students are explicitly taught how to utilize this space.  Beyond the take-a-break space in a child’s homeroom, there are also spaces they may utilize in other grade level classrooms (known as buddy rooms).

If a child needs additional support beyond those in the classroom, we have a variety of interventions available to meet their needs ranging from incentive charts to scheduled breaks with support staff, to providing an alternate short term workspace for students focused teaching strategies and skills needed to manage their emotions and self-regulate.

At Pinewood, we believe in utilizing restorative practices to resolve conflict.  These practices promote inclusiveness and build relationships.  Instead of punitive punishment,  we bring students together to problem solve through restorative circles where students practice taking responsibility for their actions and repairing harm.  When consequences are appropriate, we ensure that they are tied to the action/harm that was done.