Several schools in the Daviess County Public Schools district have earned Bronze or Silver awards based on the fidelity of implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports from the Kentucky Department of Education and the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative.
Audubon, Burns, Country Heights, East View, Highland, Meadowlands, Sorgho, Southern Oaks, West Louisville and Whitesville Elementary schools earned the Bronze distinction, while Daviess County Middle School earned Silver.
In making the presentation, the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative described PBIS as “an evidence-based, proactive approach to teaching and reinforcing behavioral expectations with a goal of improving student behavior, maximizing instructional time and increasing student engagement, while also promoting an overall physically and psychologically safe school culture and climate.”
DCMS is the first school in the district to earn the Silver distinction, which encompasses success in the implementation of Tier I (Bronze) and Tier II (Silver) systems and supports. Though each of these schools have previously been recognized for their work by the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, this is the first year DCPS schools have earned recognition from the Kentucky Department of Education for their PBIS work.
“Our goal with PBIS is to create a safe and welcoming learning environment for all kids,” said DCPS School Support Coordinator Dr. Caleb York. “The work of our schools to implement PBIS is making a difference in all of our schools. We want to ensure students are ready to succeed once they graduate, but we realize that success is not only academic success but also behavioral.”
DCPS schools have been working to implement PBIS since the 2017-18 school year. Each school has a team focused on PBIS implementation and is responsible for identifying three-five schoolwide expectations.
“Each school has worked to identify expectations that are unique to their school, but each of them address values of the Owensboro-Daviess County community,” York said. “The hope is that the expectations we teach are not just characteristics students use in school, but also in the community.”
York added, “Our school’s commitment to providing the best learning environment for our kids is remarkable. You can see the impact of their commitment and the PBIS work in every school. Teachers are proactively building relationships while also teaching expectations and procedures to help ensure students can successfully navigate school. This positive, proactive, instructional approach to school results in improved student behavior which has a positive impact on student achievement.”
