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ESTABLISHING SUPPORTIVE POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Suppor ve posi ve learning environments are safe for students and staff. Suppor ve environments require the commitment from all staff and a belief that all students can learn and succeed with the right rela onships within the school and the appropriate supports in place. Developing suppor ve environments requires all staff to be part of a proac ve system that considers the unique needs of all students. To this end, the Brandywine School District u lizes an approach known as Mul -Tiered System of Support (MTSS) as the guiding framework to support students academically and behaviorally. The MTSS Framework aligns perfectly with the core principles of the District’s previous Response to Interven on (RtI) and Posi ve Behavior Support (PBS/ PBIS) Programs centered on both academic and behavioral, and social-emo onal success. Together, these frameworks merge to provide essen al supports to all students, with targeted supports based on need.
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MULTI TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS
Brandywine Schools use a Mul -Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that emphasizes proac ve and preven ve strategies for defi ning, suppor ng, and teaching appropriate behaviors to create a posi ve school climate. The MTSS approach emphasizes proac ve and preventa ve strategies for suppor ng appropriate behaviors, both social and academic. Behavioral supports and interven ons are implemented using a three- ered preven on/interven on approach to student behaviors.
School staff recognizes that maintaining and changing student behaviors involves a con nuum of acknowledgments, supports, and interven ons (Center for Posi ve Behavior Interven on Supports, University of Connec cut). The MTSS framework consists of three ers:
Tier 1 includes the following components: • eff ec vely teaching school-wide and classroom expecta ons to all students; • program development and evalua on; • correc ng problem behavior; • developing self-discipline; • schools monitor school-wide progress and use data to make decisions about programming; • consistent Community-Building Circles (Restora ve Prac ces).
Tier 2: Involves a subset of students, typically 10-15%, iden fi ed by data, who are not successful with Tier 1 support alone, and are in need of more behavioral or academic support. During this me, Tier 1 supports con nue to be layered with Tier 2 supports.
Tier 2 includes the following components: • referral to a problem-solving team (PST) for academics, behavior, health, and wellness, and/or anything preven ng con nued student growth and learning; • providing small group interven on support in behavior or academics; • group behavioral support consis ng of rela onship building or skill-building interven ons; • support readily available and accessible for students based on data; • con nuous monitoring and making data-based decisions; • small group opportuni es to prac ce school-wide expecta ons with increased frequency; • Restora ve Circles (RP—student group confl icts).
Tier 3: Individualized for students in need of intensive behavioral or academic support, typically 3-5% of the overall student popula on. This is a con nuum of support available to students as a need arises. This small number of students will need individualized, intensive behavioral strategies in order to suffi ciently achieve or maintain desired outcomes and prevent future problems. These supports are not based on categorical service op ons (e.g. whether a student meets the criteria for special educa on services), but provide access to individualized, intensive supports matched to student needs.
Tier 3 can include the following components: • access to a problem-solving team, (PST) for academics, behavior, health, and wellness, and/or anything preven ng con nued student growth and learning. Team members include someone with behavioral exper se on the team; • func onal Behavior Assessment/Behavior Support Plan, (FBA/BSP); • interven ons likely addressing both skill defi cits and rapport with others (both skill-based and rela onship-based interven ons); • small group (or individual) academic interven ons with a focus on intensive reteaching; • individualized opportuni es to prac ce school-wide expecta ons with increased frequency; • wraparound supports; • collabora on and/or linkages to community resources;
• restora ve prac ces/circles—teacher-to-student/ student-to-student; • u lize data to problem solve; • other evidence or research-based strategies; • Restora ve Circles (RP) —teacher-to-student/ student-to-student
WHO ESTABLISHES A POSITIVE SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT?
The Student Code of Conduct recognizes the need for a working, coopera ve rela onship among students, parents/guardians, and school personnel. This rela onship is most produc ve when:
Students:
• a end all classes daily and on me; • prepare for class assignments and ac vi es; • come to class with appropriate materials, books, and supplies; • respect all persons and property; • refrain from using profanity, abusive language, or infl ammatory ac ons in personal interac ons; • dress properly for a learning environment; • avoid the use of distrac ng electronics; • conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner; • assume responsibility for their own work and behavior; • abide by the rules and regula ons set forth by the school and individual classroom teachers; • seek changes in an orderly and approved manner; • adhere to all health and safety regula ons.
Parents/Guardians:
• keep in contact with the school concerning their child’s progress and conduct; • maintain up-to-date home, work, emergency numbers, and email addresses at the school and on Home Access Center; • ensure that their child’s name is recorded in the daily a endance and promptly report and explain any absence or tardiness to the school; • provide their child with resources needed to complete classwork and homework; • assist their child in being healthy, neat, and clean; • refrain from using profanity, abusive language or infl ammatory ac ons in personal interac ons; • bring to the a en on of school authori es any problem or condi on which aff ects their child or other children of the school community; • discuss report cards and work assignments with their child; • a end Parent/Teacher conferences; • seek changes in an orderly and appropriate manner.
School Personnel:
• model regular a endance and being on me; • model being prepared to perform their du es with appropriate materials, lesson plans, and supplies; • model respect of all persons and property; • dialogue with parents, students, and other employees in a manner that refl ects professionalism and interest of students;
