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That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.
Fostering positive behavior among students isn't just about rule enforcement; it's about cultivating a culture of mutual respect and collective responsibility.

That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

  • Going Above and Beyond Expectations
  • Making Great Choices
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Showing Leadership in the Classroom

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

  • Going Above and Beyond Expectations
  • Making Great Choices
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Showing Leadership in the Classroom

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

About the Event

That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

  • Going Above and Beyond Expectations
  • Making Great Choices
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Showing Leadership in the Classroom

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

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About the Event

That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

  • Going Above and Beyond Expectations
  • Making Great Choices
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Showing Leadership in the Classroom

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

About the Presenter

Jordan resides in Lexington, Kentucky. He has experience in Public Education as an Administrator, Science Teacher, and as a Coach. He has extensive experience with School Discipline, PBIS, SEL, Restorative Practices, MTSS, and Trauma-Informed Care.

Sign up for more ideas
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

Fostering positive behavior among students isn't just about rule enforcement; it's about cultivating a culture of mutual respect and collective responsibility.

That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

  • Going Above and Beyond Expectations
  • Making Great Choices
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Showing Leadership in the Classroom

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

Learn more about the author, 
Jordan Pruitt
 
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

Fostering positive behavior among students isn't just about rule enforcement; it's about cultivating a culture of mutual respect and collective responsibility.

That culture nurtures a sense of unity and collective responsibility that is paramount to creating an environment where every student can thrive. Nothing impacts this quite like student behavior does. But a school with tougher discipline isn’t necessarily a building with a positive culture.

That’s because school culture doesn’t solely depend on how the school’s expectations are enforced, but also on how they are communicated and ultimately interpreted. All stakeholders need a chance to be heard before they can take ownership of the behavior in the building.

Your community needs to come to an agreement on behavior.

What is a Community Agreement?

One promising approach gaining traction is the concept of community agreements—a collaborative effort where all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, come together to define and uphold shared expectations for behavior. 

By actively involving everyone in the process, these agreements not only set clear guidelines but also instill a sense of ownership and accountability. This ultimately paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, and conducive learning environment.

At The Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago, Illinois the community agreement is centered around the golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated by them. Let’s take a closer look at Courtenay and the three principles their agreement centers around:

  1. Be Respectful - to Everyone
  2. Be Responsible - Contribute to the School in a Positive Way
  3. Be Safe - Treat Others How You Want to Be Treated

Once the stakeholders of Courtenay agreed on those underlying principles it was time to craft a behavior rubric that was aligned to the agreement.

How to Align Your Behavior Rubric With Your Community Agreement

Aligning your behavior rubric with your community agreement involves a thoughtful integration of values, expectations, and practical guidelines to promote the school environment you want. 

Translating an abstract concept like the golden rule into actionable behaviors requires clarity and accessibility. This is where the behavior rubric comes into play. It serves as a roadmap, articulating what embodying those guidelines looks like in everyday school interactions. 

Your rubric breaks down abstract ideals into concrete actions and behaviors that are easily understandable by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike. Let’s take a look at how Courtenay organized their rubric:

Effective behavior rubrics go beyond mere description; they also provide a framework for conflict resolution rooted in restorative practices. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative practices aim to repair harm and restore relationships within the community. 

By incorporating these principles into the behavior rubric, schools not only set clear expectations but also equip individuals with the tools and processes necessary to navigate conflicts in a constructive and empathetic manner.

In essence, aligning the behavior rubric with the community agreement involves creating a cohesive framework that not only outlines behavioral expectations but also fosters a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability throughout the school community.

Once you have your rubric, you can then align it all with your PBIS expectations to further reinforce the values your community has declared as valuable to the success of everyone.

How to Align Your Community Agreement With PBIS

Aligning your community agreement with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves integrating the principles of PBIS into the foundational values and expectations outlined in the community agreement. 

PBIS is a proactive approach to behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors to create a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In PBIS, points are often used as a form of positive reinforcement to recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. These PBIS points align with the values and expectations established in the community agreement, serving as a tangible way to encourage students to embody the agreed-upon values.

For example, at Courtenay Language Arts Center, students earn PBIS points for the following actions:

  • Going Above and Beyond Expectations
  • Making Great Choices
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Showing Leadership in the Classroom

By linking PBIS points (or LiveSchool points) to specific behaviors outlined in the community agreement, Courtenay Language Arts Center reinforces the shared values of responsibility, respect, kindness, and leadership. 

This alignment ensures that they not only promote positive behaviors but also uphold the core values that the school community has collectively agreed upon.

Reflecting on Your Community Agreement

Courtenay Language Arts Center implements a holistic approach to behavior management.  The school's behavior plan aligns seamlessly with the community agreement, PBIS, and LiveSchool, ensuring consistency and the reinforcement of shared values.

Moreover, Courtenay's reflective process further solidifies this alignment. Students engage in a reflective dialogue when addressing negative behaviors, answering these questions:

  1. Describe the negative behavior.
  2. Why was your behavior a violation of the community agreement?
  3. How will you make better choices in the future?

By incorporating these reflective questions into the process, Courtenay Language Arts Center fosters a culture of accountability and growth, where students actively reflect on their actions and commit to upholding the values of the school community using restorative practices.

Learn more about the author, 
Jordan Pruitt
 

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