1. SW-PBIS Training Acknowledgment System Day 3
Chris Borgmeier, PhD
Portland State University

2. Team Progress Reports
What have you accomplished since the last training?
Finalize PBS team members
On-site meeting & meeting schedule
SW Rules
Expectations Grid
Lesson Plans
Presentation to staff
Feedback & participation from staff

3. Now that you’ve been working on this…. What questions do you have?
Team Representation
Team Process
Communication with Staff
Understanding
Buy-In & Commitment
SW Rules
Behavioral Expectations
Lesson Plans

4. PBIS Assessment

5. Introduction to www.pbisassessment.org
Preview
Review Team Implementation Scores
Review Staff Self Assessment Scores

6. Team Implementation Checklist Subscale

7. Student Self Assessment Subscale

8. Staff Self- Assessment Survey x Item

9. Team Work Time Open up your School Account on www.pbisassessment.org
Requires School ID #
Review your School Data
Staff Self Assessment Data
Team Implementation Checklist

10. Acknowledgement Systems: Catch ‘em being Good

11. PBS: Defining Features
Teaching Expected Behavior
Increase Structure and Predictability by explicitly teaching Behavioral Expectations and Routines.
Reduce the mystery and chaos by making expectations explicit through formal teaching
Develop a “United Front” across all staff through consistent language & expectations
Increased Structure = Decreased Chaos = Fewer Problems

12. PBS: Defining Features
Reinforcing Expected Behavior
Teaching alone is not enough, we also need to regularly Reinforce students for following expectations
Improving the School Climate
By increasing the number of Positive Interactions between staff and students we are improving the school climate.

13. Acknowledgment Systems
Purpose:
To reinforce school rules, behavioral expectations & positive behavior
Promote a more positive school environment
School-wide 5:1 positive/negative interaction ratio
Regular school-wide celebration of positive behavior
Increase positive interactions b/w staff & students
Prompt busy adults to remember to reinforce positive behavior

14. 5 : 1 Positive Behavior Support is….
What parents, teachers, peers and others do to increase student success---the whole village!
SUCCESS
FAILURE
5 : 1

15. 5:1 ratio, it’s not just for kids
Business teams
High Performance teams = 5.6 to 1
Medium Performance teams = 1.9:1
Low Performance teams = 1 to 2.7
Losada, 1999; Losada & Heaphy 2004
Married couples that last
5.1 to for speech acts and 4.7 to 1 for observed emotions
Gottman, 1994

16. Gottman info.
predicted whether 700 newlywed couples would stay together or divorce by scoring their positive and negative interactions in one 15-minute conversation between each husband and wife. Ten years later, the follow-up revealed that they had predicted divorce with 94% accuracy.
Marriages that last:
5.1 to 1 for speech acts and 4.7 to 1 for observed emotions
Marriages likely to end in divorce:
1 (+) to1.3 (-) ratio likely to end up in divorce

17. Team Discussion
What concerns might come up at your school regarding ‘caught you being good’, acknowledgement systems, incentives, etc?
What ideas or questions do you have about how to address these concerns with staff?

18. Acknowledgment Systems
Big pay-off for limited expense
Immediate reinforcement with tokens that are accessible to all students
Link with school wide celebration of positive behavior
Lottery system helps to keep incentives cheap
Lot of kids have chance to win… but pay out is cheap
Small tangible rewards
Public recognition is often powerful
Make the program catchy – link with school rules &/or school mascot
Cougar paws, Pawsitives, Starbucks, Bravo tickets, etc.

19. To consider when developing an acknowledgment ticket
Must be Easy for Staff to use
Limit writing, and make easy to carry around - fit in pocket
If not easy to use & carry, it won’t be used
Frequent feedback for students
All staff should have tickets
ALL students should be able to access tickets & acknowledgment, even those students with most challenging behavior
At least 50% of the students should get acknowledged every 2 months

20. Acknowledgment Tickets
Link acknowledgment to a school rule
Some schools like to include the specific behavior being acknowledged… but don’t want extra writing to reduce use of tickets

22. Team Task
Develop an acknowledgment ticket that coincides with your SW Rules OR
Evaluate any existing tokens used to identify potential for improvement

23. PBIS Assessment Fluency check
Open new browser window
Go to pbisassessment.org
Open school account
Find
Team Implementation Checklist
Subscale Graph

24. Acknowledgement System: Logistics

25. Example: Chavez Academy (K-8)
Handing out Thank You tickets is not limited to the students in a classroom. The opportunity exists to positively acknowledge a student's behavior in all areas of the school.
Teach Students during Introduction of system:
I'll try my best to notice you. But you can't let me know; that's my job.“
Students may not solicit tickets for themselves or for others

26. Train staff how to hand out Acknowledgments
“Sergio, thank you for picking up Jackie’s book for her you are being very Respectful. I want to recognize your good behavior with a Caught Being Good ticket, I really appreciate it when you follow the school rules.”
Always pair the ticket with a verbal explanation that is genuine, clear & specifically identifies the behavior
Link with school rule
It is best to provide the ticket immediately after the student engages in the behavior

27. How will students turn in their tickets?
In classroom?
In box at lunch?
In barrel in hallway?
Then, what will happen to the tickets
Earn School-wide reward?
Fill the barrel & whole school earns a popcorn party
Earn classroom reward?
Classes can earn free time after so many tickets earned
Drawing for individual students?

28. Example: Chavez Academy (K-8)
A student who receives a Thank You ticket should hold on to the ticket until an appropriate time when he/she can stop by the library and drop it in the piñata.
Staff can remind students to drop off tickets but ultimately the students are responsible for dropping off their own tickets.
There are two different piñatas in which to drop the tickets: one for grades K-3 and another for 4-8.

29. Acknowledgement Assemblies
Part of regular school routine
Acknowledgment assemblies should happen every two to four weeks
Be Creative!
System & reinforcers must be developmentally appropriate
across elementary, MS & HS

30. Example: Chavez Academy (K-8)
Each Friday, 10 names will be drawn, five from each piñata, by the principal. These 10 students will be called down to the principal's office.
Each student will share with the administrator why they received the ticket. They will also get to pick an "opportunity" from the opportunity box.
The opportunity box will have several selections for the students to choose from, either a coupon for a special privilege or a small item.
Students will also sign a triangle to glue to the large triangle poster on the wall outside the principal’s office as a visual reminder of students who have been recognized for being safe, responsible, and/or respectful.

31. Example: Chavez Academy (K-8)
When students put tickets in the piñatas in the library, the tickets will remain in the piñata for the month.
At the end of the month, all tickets will be counted and dumped into the larger, clear container. It will be centrally located and visible to all.
Periodically, there will be drawings from the big container for larger items such as a school t-shirt, etc.

32. Reinforcer Ideas Middle & High School Elementary Homework pass
Discounts at school store
Tickets to school dance
Time w/ peers
Pizza party
Social & listen to music
Lunch w/ staff
Staff serve spaghetti dinner
In-school movie
Early release from class
Class parties or cultural events
Movie tickets
Elementary
Usually any trinkets paired with public recognition
Toys
School supplies
Bubble parties

33. Team Tasks LOGISTICS How & where will tickets be turned in?
What is the schedule for Acknowledgment assembly?
How will the acknowledgment celebration/ assembly work?
What reinforcers will be handed out to selected students at the acknowledgment celebration/assemblies?

34. Focus of Acknowledgment System
It is important that an Acknowledgment system is accessible to ALL students all the time
Beginning of year
Heavy emphasis on reinforcing all school rules & expectations
Returning from breaks, or entering months in which there were higher referrals in previous years
May want to re-teach expectations & remind staff to boost up use of acknowledgments

35. Increasing Staff Buy-In
Link incentive program w/ staff incentives
Also recognize staff for using program w/ incentives
Have staff acknowledgement system
Also acknowledge staff when students is drawn
Staff Incentive ideas
Starbucks dollars
Free hour ticket to cash in for principal to cover class
Front parking spot for week/month

36. Frequently Asked Questions
Should we track Positive Referrals?
Track it broadly, not individually
Are teachers going through enough referral pads?
Are grade levels invested in the system?
How many should be given out?
Better to err on the side of more than less
Need to be genuine & verbally paired w/ reason, not handed out indiscriminately

37. Frequently Asked Questions
Shouldn’t students be expected to do these things without being rewarded?
Sure, BUT students are bringing a varied set of experiences and skills to school, unfortunately some students may not get enough acknowledgment at home
How many of you feel you get acknowledged often enough for the work you do?
This system should not replace regular verbal praise and pats on the back for students …all this system provides in addition for most students is a small piece of paper
This system is as much to help remind the adults to catch kids doing the right thing in school… we get busy and too often get caught up focusing on predominantly negative behavior
(5 to 1 ratio)

38. Targeted Use of Acknowledgements & Incentives
As year progresses, and specific areas of concern come up in the school
Can begin to target specific behaviors or areas in which to more heavily focus use of acknowledgment system
i.e. hallway behavior, appropriate language, etc.
Schools can also have other systems for recognizing students
Classroom reward system in addition to school-wide system
Incentives for most responsible class in cafeteria
Class clean bathroom award
Perfect attendance
Honor Roll

39. Tasks Develop or refine your Acknowledgment System
Develop a process for the Acknowledgment System
How to give out & collect acknowledgment slips
Develop & distribute acknowledgement slip
Develop an Acknowledgment assembly schedule & plan assemblies
Develop a list of Reinforcers
Collect reinforcers
Train staff in details of how system will work

40. Extending SW-PBIS to Substitute Teachers

41. Help Substitute Teachers Align w/ SW-PBIS
Create a sub-folder & hold a sub orientation
Encourage substitutes to review behavioral expectations during first 10 minutes with class
Align expectations with SW-Rules

42. Help Substitute Teachers Align w/ SW-PBIS
Acknowledgment System
Make sure substitute teachers have access to acknowledgment tickets
Encourage them to hand out 3-5 acknowledgment tickets in first 15 minutes while teaching behavioral expectations
Better Yet!! – Make the tickets a different color (Gold) for subs & make them worth double!

43. Substitute Folder What to include? Overview of SW Rules & SW-PBIS
Lesson Plan for Behavioral Expectations
Acknowledgment Tickets
Other?
Schedule
Lesson Plans (Academic)
Seating Chart?
Behavior Plans
Etc.

44. Team Work Time Continue to work on your acknowledgment system
Consider creating a Substitute Teacher PBIS System
Sub Folders? – Orientation?
Acknowledgments

46. Tasks Develop or refine your Acknowledgment System
Develop a process for the Acknowledgment System
How to give out & collect acknowledgment slips
Develop & distribute acknowledgement slip
Develop an Acknowledgment assembly schedule & plan assemblies
Develop a list of Reinforcers
Collect reinforcers
Train staff in details of how system will work

47. Prioritize, Divide & Conquer
Developing Lesson Plans
Developing a teaching schedule for School Rules
New Student Orientation (those coming mid-year)
Develop Acknowledgment System
PBIS Handbook
Ongoing plan for presentation to staff & feedback
Substitute Teacher folders
Classroom Expectations

48. Follow-up Tasks Finalized SW PBS team & meeting schedule
Developing Expectations Grid
Developing Lesson Plans
Developing a teaching schedule for School Rules
Develop Acknowledgment System
Ongoing plan for presentation to staff & feedback