CYN Partner to Roll Out PBIS at Piccadilly High
On Thursday, December 5th, Piccadilly Central High was aflutter with activities as the roll out of the Positive Behaviors Information System (PBIS), a new direction for all schools, was facilitated in partnership with the Community Youth Network under the title of Respect Day.
The fundamental principal of PBIS is to develop positive school environments based on respectable behaviours. The Piccadilly Pirates themed their PBIS roll-out on the hearty pirate roar ARRRR! The four R’s signify Respect for Yourself, Respect for Others, Respect for Learning, and Respect for the Environment.
During the morning, six groups of students facilitated café style workshops based on appropriate behaviours in various locations at the school including the hallway, classroom, bathroom, cafeteria, school grounds, etc. while one group facilitated a session on the bus. All other students at the school were organized at random to represent crews of pirate ships, and were lead from one café to another with supervising staff. The information was shared in a fun and interactive way, with competitions set up among crews to win prizes at the end of the day.
During period four in the afternoon, the entire school student body was divided into two large groups that alternated between a healthy living activity in the gymnasium, and a Respect Perspective interactive presentation in the cafeteria. During the presentation, the students were asked to pledge what they would do to make their school an open and welcoming environment for all.
For the last period of the day, all students were brought together for a presentation of the PBIS system, and introduction of the “Gotcha Pirate” concept. Gotcha Pirate booklets are given to all staff that then “catch” students demonstrating positive behaviours and interactions. These student names are submitted for a weekly draw and the winner gets a reward from a list developed by students at the school as part of the Respect Day afternoon activities. The rewards include things like a free lunch or wearing your hat or sunglasses inside for a day. The student gets a “free pass card” indicating that particular reward which is signed by school administration.
CYN, as part of the Piccadilly Central High Safe and Caring Schools Committee, will be working with the school to continue positive activities under the PBIS scope, and to build on the momentum created on Respect Day.
