Beaver Creek honored for creating safe, positive environments in 2019-2020

(Written and published by the Iowa Department of Education)

Johnston’s Beaver Creek Elementary has been awarded the Banner Level of Recognition from the Iowa Department of Education for their respective implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in the 2019-20 school year! They are among 15 recipients of the award. Congratulations to all school staff, students, and families on this achievement!

Last year, Beaver Creek and Lawson Elementary were named “Honor Plus” schools. Now, one tier higher, the “Banner” level schools sustain universal systems and practices. Students are accessing interventions such as Check in/Check out and 50 percent are responding positively to the support. The Tier 2 team engages families and staff and uses a daily progress report to monitor student response to additional supports.

The Iowa Department of Education awards schools statewide for their PBIS work. PBIS is a multi-tiered system of support for academics and behavior which provides the framework for school districts to implement and monitor prevention and intervention practices for both virtual and face-to-face instruction.

PBIS is not a curriculum that schools’ purchase or something they “do” to their students. Instead, Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports focuses on conditions to support learning by providing positive, predictable and safe environments. PBIS has been shown to reduce major disciplinary infractions, reduce out-of-school suspension, improve prosocial behavior, boost academic achievement and improve school climate.