By Ann-Mari Westerhoff

PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports.  It is a system designed to reinforce positive behaviors and to provide teaching opportunities for students who are still learning how to follow the school expectations of Safe, Respectful and Responsible.  One goal of PBIS is to keep students in their classroom, learning content as well as positive behavior.  When students make mistakes or struggle with behavior, our PBIS system provides support to teach them the expectation.

You have probably heard about Gold Bears from your child.  If not, please ask them to tell you about them!   Gold Bears recognize students for following the school expectations and making good choices. Gold Bears help us to create a positive learning environment as well as recognizing students who made good choices.  This is another goal of the PBIS systems. 

Every month we have an assembly where we celebrate the students who received Gold-Bears.  The gold tickets are pulled from a vase to celebrate good behavior once again. Students whose name is drawn win a book of their choice from Scholastic.  At the assemblies, we also connect one or two concepts from the IB Learner Profile with a picture book to deepen students' understanding.