Positive Behavior Support PBIS
What is Positive Behavior Support?
McKinley is a Positive Behavior Support School. Our school district employs Positive Behavioral Support. (PBS) is an empirically validated, function-based approach to eliminate challenging behaviors and replace them with pro-social skills. Use of PBS decreases the need for more intrusive or aversive interventions (i.e., punishment or suspension) and can lead to both systemic as well as individualized change. Through PBS we have developed a school-wide token economy. Students earn “McBucks” for demonstrating positive behaviors such as responsibility, honesty, dedication, and good citizenship.
Talking to your student about cyberbullying
McKinley Elementary School prides itself on providing a safe learning environment for its students. An emerging national concern is the inappropriate use of the Internet by students. This problem has the potential to be harmful, and we ask your support in assisting us with this challenge. Across the nation, schools have seen an increase in negative student behavior as a result of messages written using electronic technology, posted to popular social networking websites. Many sites contain instant messaging components that allow students to chat with other students and to post statements that ordinarily would not be said in a face-to-face conversation. We encourage you to heavily monitor your child’s online and social media activity and take preventative measures to keep them from accessing inappropriate content or people who may seek to do them harm. Please view the following article on cyberbullying.
Talking to your student about Cyber Bullying
Be an UPSTANDER, not a BYSTANDER
At some time, every kid becomes a bystander—someone who witnesses bullying but doesn’t get involved.
You can be an upstander instead—the person who knows what’s happening is wrong and does something to make things right. It takes courage to speak up on someone’s behalf. But just think: by doing so, you are becoming a person of character and also helping someone else.
Here are some things you can safely do:
- Don’t join in the bullying
- Support the victim in private—show your concern and offer kindness
- Stand with the victim and say something
- Mobilize others to join in and stand up to the bully
- Befriend the victim and reach out to him/her in friendship
- Alert an adult