Healthy Choices Taskforce

SUB COMMITTEE MINUTES

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

at Rolland Warner Elementary School

Committee Chairperson

Kristin Fallon - school social worker at Lapeer East High School and Lynch and Schickler elementary schools; ; 810.667.2401

Committee Members

Jacob Bunt - student who attends Rolland Warner Middle School; )

Todd Bunt - parent of Jacob Bunt;

Wendy Byard - parent of Kacie and Kellee Byard; LCS School Board Trustee; Mott College English Professor; ; 810.667.5383

Marion Hazelton - Special Education teacher at Lynch Elementary;

Greg Piontkowski - school psychologist at Lapeer East High School, Zemmer Middle School, and Lynch, Schickler, Mayfield, St. Paul, and Bishop Kelley elementary schools;

Jennifer Taylor/principal at Rolland Warner Middle School;

In Attendance

Jacob Bunt, Todd Bunt, Wendy Byard, Kristin Fallon, Jen Taylor

Guest presenter: Theresa Frakes, Lapeer County ISD

Minutes

Positive Behavior Intervention Supports Recommendation

In 2006, the Michigan State Board of Education adopted a policy: “. . . that each school district in Michigan implements a system of school-wide positive behavior support strategies.”

To comply with the above directive and to meet the challenges of our district, the Healthy Choices Taskforce subcommittee is preparing to recommend to the LCS School Board that it approve the implementation of district-wide Positive Behavior Intervention Supports. To that end, the Taskforce listened to a presentation by Theresa Frakes of the Lapeer County ISD on PBIS:

-  Many problems exist in today’s schools: aggression and violence, dropping out, bullying, unhealthy choices, suspensions, administrative time spent on above problems, other

-  Many of the currently employed solutions are not satisfactorily effective: zero tolerance policies, excluding students, punishing students, and counseling. Also, many of these solutions occur after the fact and are not preventative.

-  PBIS is a preventative approach that is school-wide, systematic, and sustained. It relies on proven behavior modification techniques. A study published October 2012 in Pediatrics stated: “. . . multilevel results indicated significant results of SWPBIS (school wide) on children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, and prosocial behavior. Children in SWPBIS schools also were 33% less likely to receive an office discipline . . . The effects tended to be strongest among children who were first exposed to SWPBIS in kindergarten.: Implementation of PBIS calls for several steps:

O Training of Leadership Teams over four full days: Implementing School-wide PBIS; Bully Prevention with PBIS; PBIS & Tier II Interventions; and PBIS Tier III Top of the Triangle.

O For 2013-14, LCS could send eight leadership teams to the LCISD for training, representing eight LCS schools (excluding Zemmer and Rolland Warner Middle Schools that have already trained leadership teams). In addition to the four days, other optional training days are available.

O Using the PBIS Tool, conducting school-wide evaluations.

O Following training, there is an implementation schedule for Leadership Teams to follow.

O To learn more, there is a website: pbis.org.

O LCS also could apply for a grant through MIBLIS (Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative) via the LCISD. This grant would provide some funds for training and implementation but requires the district to commit to an intensive five-year implementation process. It also provides funds and tools for the improvement of reading.

O Even though PBIS training is free through the LCISD, costs are involved: mostly providing for substitute teachers while staff members attend training.

O To learn more about how Lapeer County schools are implementing PBIS in their schools, on April 25, schools will showcase their examples at the LCISD: 8 – 3 PM.

Next Steps

O Seek to present to the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Committee on February 28. If we are allowed to present at that meeting, then the Taskforce subcommittee will meet to prepare on Wednesday, February 6, at 3-5 PM, at Rolland Warner Middle School (The TLT meeting is at 6 PM, at the Administration Building.

O Present to the full LCS Board at the Board of Education meeting March 7 at 7 PM at the Administration Building.

Other Ideas for Consideration (from previous meetings) O A before and after school program to offer counseling and group therapy to students in need. O Create a method for elementary students to receive counseling support. O Mentoring program similar to “Little Buddies” at Fenton High School in which 9th grade students are paired with juniors. This could provide service credit to participating students. It also could become an elective course offering similar to the LINKS elective course. O Encouraging teachers to provide more community-service assignments/projects/lessons and those that encourage healthy choices and virtuous behavior. O ImpIementing i-connect at the high schools.