Walter Woodward PBIS Newsletter

PBIS is a program supported by Walter Woodward to promote positive behaviors and student success. It is a school wide strategy that is meant to support all students in the area of social and behavior goals. Students are taught at the beginning of the school year the school wide expectations focusing on Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. Continuous reviews and reminders of expectations are supported by the teachers and staff throughout the year.

More About MUSD: PBIS - YouTube

The PBIS team is representative of the entire school staff across grade levels, classified staff, and certificated staff.

The current PBIS team consists of the following members:

Sarah Smith: K-3 SDC Teacher

Alyssa Telles: 7-8 Jr. High Teacher

Jamie De Bruyn: 4-6 SDC teacher

Chad Studer: 7-8 Jr. High Teacher

Kathleen Henderson: School Site Assistant/Parent

TBD: Parent (It could be you!)

Chris Corriea: Vice Principal

Heather Thomson: Principal

Hello Walter Woodward families,

Our school's PBIS team is looking for a parent member to join our team. Our PBIS program is an integral part of creating a safe, responsible, and respectful environment on our school campus. To strengthen our efforts and foster a collaboration, we are currently seeking a dedicated parent to join us in supporting this important initiative for the academic school year of 2024-2025.

Some of the responsibilities of being on our school's PBIS team are being available to attend monthly meetings that may be during school hours or after school, participating in events around our school campus that celebrates positive student behavior, or collaborating with Walter Woodward's staff to maintain a safe and an effective learning environment for all students.

If joining the PBIS team interests you, please apply today using the Microsoft Forms link!

https://forms.office.com/r/NNNnCX0WFz

Thank you!

Mr. Correia

There will be a PBIS Focus for each month students are attending school. These focuses are based on the categories of being Safe, Responsible, and Respectful.

We will be focusing on Respectful: Following Directions for the month of August.

Our student leaders created videos to explain the examples and non-examples around the campus.

Walter Woodward PBIS Breaks (6th-8th)

Walter Woodward PBIS - Walkways (6th - 8th)

Walter Woodward PBIS- Bathrooms (6th 8th)

Starting the Year off Right

During the first week of school, we will focus on teaching the school-wide rules, behavioral expectations, and routines to all students across all settings in the school. The PBIS team is organizing a set of events that hopes to provide students and staff with an entertaining, memorable, and positive first week of school in which everyone learns the rules, expectations, and routines throughout the entire school. To truly start the year off right we will need participation and support from the entire staff.

Why teach the Rules, Expectations, and Routines during the first week of school?

One of the major reasons to teach behavioral expectations and routines across settings is that so all staff agree on what is expected. This will improve consistency across staff in enforcing the school rules. Surprisingly often, staff have different expectations about what behavior is acceptable in different settings which can confuse the students.

A second major reason is that we cannot assume that students know the expectations and routines.

What are Routines?

Routines are the procedures and processes that students are expected to follow to keep things running smoothly and prevent problems. Examples of routines include entering the cafeteria, the lunch line process, the dismissal process for classes from lunch, process for sharpening your pencil in class, etc. Choosing routines should be a thoughtful process since some routines can inadvertently set up students to engage in misbehavior. Routines should be taught and reinforced during the first week of school so that everyone in the school is following the same set of procedures.

Our Mustang Round Up will take place the first week of the school year. Students will have an opportunity to view various areas on campus to go over expectations and routines. The areas include cafeteria, library, office, playground, and bathroom. Each area has a presenter who will go over Being Safe, Responsible, and Respectful expectations.

Booster Sessions: Re-teaching the Rules, Expectations, and Routines.

Like all good teachers, we must remember that we cannot simply teach the expectations and routines once. It is important to hold booster sessions to review the expectations. Booster sessions are especially helpful after returning from a long break, during times in the year when you anticipate having more troubles, or in areas that continue to be problematic. Booster sessions may include re-teaching expectations, increasing the number of acknowledgment tickets, or having a contest between classes to award the class that does the best with the identified expectations or in the specified area.

Mustang Shout Outs!

Students are recognized for following our wide school expectations. Each staff members have Mustang Shout Outs that they can fill out when they observe students following one or all of the three areas: Being Safe; Being Respectful; Being Responsible. The Shout Outs are read during our morning announcements.

Mustang Bucks

Another way students are recognized is with student Mustang Bucks. Staff issues students Mustang Bucks when they observe students following one or all of the three areas: Being Safe; Being Respectful; Being Responsible. Next year, will be opening our Mustang Store up!!! This is an opportunity for students who earn Mustang Bucks to spend their bucks at the Mustang Store. Students will have a wide variety of options to choose from.

Ask your student about Woodward's 3 rules:

Be Safe

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

...and what it looks like at Walter Woodward School.

Digital Citizenship is important at home and at school. Click on the following links for tips on how to talk to your students about Digital Citizenship.

K-2 Conversations

Grade 3-5 Conversations

Grades 6-8 Conversations

Kids' Mental Health Apps and Websites for Anxiety, Depression, Coping Skills, and Professional Support | Common Sense Media

If parents would like to donate $5 gift cards for 4th-8th grade Mustang Raffle they can be dropped off in the office attention Mr. Correia. All donations directly benefit Mustang Raffle Winners.