Wenatchee Learns Connect Grand Opening 8-28-14

Please join in the grand opening celebration on Thursday, August 28th at the new Wenatchee Learns Connect office on 2 South Mission.  Come by anytime between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and learn about this exciting community partnership with public education in Wenatchee.

The Wenatchee Learns initiative was a critical component in placing a positive learning environment on the long term strategic plan for the Wenatchee School district. Thank you to the Wenatchee community for your strong voice and leadership.

As a community, we need to continue to support our schools and district in the future. By forming business, organization, staff, student, and parent partnerships, we can champion a bright, healthy, and comprehensive future for our young people.  Get connected today!

 

Thank you to Rick Steigmeyer for the excellent articles about Wenatchee School District and PBIS in the Wenatchee World on Thursday, August 14, 2014!

Student behavior: Reinforce the good and the bad will lesson

A more positive approach to student behavior

Wenatchee School District & Building Leaders learn more about PBIS

Wenatchee School district, building, Wenatchee Learns, and community leaders attended a 4 hour PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Support) overview awareness training session this morning at the district office.   

The session was led by Wenatchee School District Superintendent Brian Flones and Lori Lynass from NorthWest PBIS. The overview covered an understanding of the research and framework of PBIS as well as a system approach for district and building implementation. 

THANK YOU to our education leaders for learning more about PBIS.

More information on the Wenatchee School District Strategic Plan and PBIS can be found at the following link: Wenatchee School District Strategic Plan Strategy 1.4 - More Positive and Safe Learning Environments

Wenatchee School District and PBIS

One of the objectives in the Wenatchee School District's Strategic Plan reads: Design a new approach to creating positive learning environments based on healthy relationships and behavior support.  

Thank you to the Wenatchee community for providing feedback and support in developing this objective via Wenatchee Learns, letters to the Board of Directors and Superintendent, and feedback on parent survey forms.

If you missed the Wenatchee School Board workshop on Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) on March 11, 2014, you can read the minutes and view the presentation materials (pages 9-17) at the following link: http://home.wsd.wednet.edu/sites/default/files/03_11_14_workshop_minutes.pdf 

 

Questions?

If you have any questions about the presentation or the district's progress on PBIS, please contact John Waldren at the school district office (663-8161).

School Summary

If you have any questions for the schools currently working on PBIS, please contact:

Tim Sheppard, Principal

•  Lincoln Elementary has established three school-wide expectations and is focusing on teaching and practicing hallway expectations.

Bill Eagle, Principal

•  Columbia Elementary has established three school-wide expectations, is teaching and practicing these expectations in five areas, and is using Second Step Social Emotional Learning curriculum

Alfonso Lopez, Principal

• Lewis & Clark Elementary is in their second year of working on full PBIS implementation and is using data to drive decisions and practices. Check & Connect, a research and evidence based method, is supporting students that need behavior intervention. Second Step Social Emotional Learning curriculum is used. Lewis & Clark Elementary no longer uses Make Your Day.

Dan Wilson, Assistant Principal

• Pioneer Middle has established three school-wide expectations and is focusing on teaching and practicing hallway expectations.

Thank you to these schools and their PBIS teams for their work.  Parents, staff, and community members: Please continue to support and encourage these schools as they progress towards full PBIS implementation.

Which schools will be next to attend PBIS team training?

Please encourage and support the following schools attending PBIS implementation training this spring and summer:

•  John Newbery Elementary
•  Washington Elementary
•  Foothills Middle School
•  WestSide High School

How can I get involved?

The PBIS approach encourages and needs parent and community involvement. If you are a parent at one of these schools and would like to get involved in the process, please contact your school's administrator to find out how. 

Happy dance for Columbia, Lincoln, and Pioneer

Please join me in supporting and encouraging Columbia Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, and Pioneer Middle School.  These three Wenatchee School District schools are putting together a team of educators to send to the PBIS training this year.  The first two days of training will be in June followed by additional training in late summer and fall.

If your child(ren) or grandchild(ren) attend one of these schools, I would hope that you would express your appreciation and support to the administrator(s), teachers, counselor, and other staff.

As community members, I would encourage you to send a letter of appreciation and support to the administrator(s), counselor, and select staff (list below) at each of these schools. 

In addition, a thank you note to Superintendent Brian Flones, our school board members, and district administrator, John Waldren, would be appropriate. 

It is important that our education leaders know that their community is aware of and supports research based systems in our schools that positively affect our students academic and behavior outcomes. 

So, write a card or letter or email.  Schedule a visit with the principal or your child's teacher.  Join me in supporting and encouraging these schools today!    

Columbia Elementary School - 600 Alaska Street

·         Principal Bill Eagle

·         Counselor Kelli Ottley

·         Teacher Loni Lynch

·         Teacher Ryan Weaver

·         Teacher Miss Martinez

Lincoln Elementary School - 1224 Methow Street

·         Principal Tim Sheppard

·         Counselor Jim Bowen

·         Teacher Kevin Parr

Pioneer Middle School - 1620 Russell Street

·         Principal Mark Helm

·         Assistant Principal Dan Wilson

·         Counselor Tim Trainor

·         Counselor Thomas Tilton

·         Teacher Kathi Bullis

·         Teacher Kerrie Miller

·         Teacher Susie Choman

Additional information:

“What is School-Wide PBIS?”

Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. SWPBS provides an operational framework for achieving these outcomes. More importantly, SWPBS is NOT a curriculum, intervention, or practice, but IS a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students.        Source: www.pbis.org

PBIS & Wenatchee Learns

What is Wenatchee Learns?  What does it have to do with PBIS?

Wenatchee Learns is a revolution in how Wenatchee plans for and supports education.  The mission is to establish a permanent, community-driven approach to learning success.  If Wenatchee is to thrive in a changing world, we must rewire local learning for a global future.

The planning process is led by the Wenatchee School District, guided by community advisors, and driven by input from community members.  The Identity section was developed through feedback from the community on what does a successful education system include.  The Direction and Path sections were developed through Wenatchee Learns committees.

PBIS is an acronym for Positive Behavior Interventions & Support.  PBIS is the research and evidence based framework for school-wide positive behavior support.  It is supported by the U.S. Department of Education through funding, policy, and law.  The U.S. Department of Education exclusively recommends PBIS in the 2011-2014 Strategic Plan.  The National PTA discusses PBIS in the 2012 Public Policy Agenda - Federal Policy Recommendations.  Most states throughout the United States have initiatives and/or policy regarding PBIS or acknowledge PBIS as the research based best practice for school-wide behavior management.

On March 13, 2012, Wenatchee School District Superintendent Brian Flones recommended to the Board that a committee be formed to review and present a recommendation on the research based best practices for school-wide behavior support (i.e. PBIS) to the Board.

Currently, the District School-wide Behavior Management committee is working on this recommendation.  The correlation between the PBIS framework and Wenatchee Learns is compelling.  Below is the link to the Wenatchee Learns page on Positive Behavior Support.  The yellow highlighted areas on the flow chart are just some of the correlations.  The committee noted many more areas that should be highlighted as well.  It is very exciting that the work our committee is doing supports a large portion of the Wenatchee Learns process.

http://wenatcheelearns.com/behaviorsupport/

I would recommend checking out the Wenatchee Learns web site for more information and how you can provide your input. 

http://www.wenatcheelearns.com/

Sources of information:
Wenatchee Learns Facebook Page
U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov
National PTA http://www.pta.org/
National PBIS www.PBIS.org