Discipline problems declining at Casey Middle School

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By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — By December of the 2005-2006 school year, Casey Middle School had 463 student discipline referrals.

In 2006-2007, the school had 400 referrals.

Today, the school has 278 referrals — almost cutting in half the number of students who exhibit problem behaviors. The statistics and the turnaround are garnering the school attention from not just state education officials, but from educators nationwide as well.

“Our interventions are being recognized nationally and regionally in the (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) newsletter,” Casey Assistant Principal Shannon Marler said. “People are taking a hard look at our school, and other schools are visiting to see what’s happening.”

Principal Mike Green said the staff is filling our applications to speak about the dramatic turnaround during the National PBIS convention in Colorado Springs, Colo., next year.

Marler credits the teachers, students and administration, who have gotten on board with the PBIS and actively work to head off discipline problems before they happen.

According to the National PBIS organization, schoolwide discipline in the past has focused on specific misbehavior and punishment such as reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions and expulsions.

“Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies is ineffective,” National PBIS information states. “Introducing modeling and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important part of a student’s educational experience. Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding. The purpose of a school-wide PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.”

That assertion is one District 80 has seen in action.

“Teachers are now handling minor problems in the classroom and referring only gross misconduct,” Marler said. “The teachers have seen a difference and have bought into the program.”

Green said he recently received a phone call from the Alternative School, asking if he had any students to refer.

“We had 20 kids last year in the Alternative School,” Green reported. “This year we have seven. They’re actually calling to see if we have students for them, and we really don’t.”

Two programs which have recently been implemented under the PBIS are Check and Connect and Check and Collect, Marler said. Check and Connect pairs an at-risk student with a teacher, who acts as mentor for the student.

“We have two children in the program now,” Marler reported. “One of them we were about to transfer, but we connect him with a teacher. ... Now he’s low on the list (for discipline problems) and he’s turned his behaviors around.”

Check and Collect uses a teacher who volunteers to receive all homework for a student.

“The student then has one folder they are turning in to one teacher,” Marler said. “That teacher distributes the work to the other teachers. It’s a big help with those who have a problem with organization.”

Marler said making personal contact with students and parents is another big part of reducing the number of discipline problems at the facility.

“We’re building relationships,” Marler said. “We’re making frequent parent contacts and home visits.”

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