PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is a process for creating a safer and more effective school. The process focuses on improving a school's ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students. PBIS includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for ALL students and ALL staff in ALL settings. Teachers use a common matrix to teach expected behaviors for the different settings that comprise our school. Students are recognized for positive behaviors by all adults in the school. Finally, data analysis related to problem behaviors guides actions for improvement.

In our school, we refer to our system as HOOT – How Oakland Operates Together. We replaced PBIS with HOOT to provide a meaningful acronym for children that is also connected to our mascot.

When redirecting minor behaviors, teachers state the positive desired action. Instead of saying, "No running in the halls," we say, "Use walking feet". We have a progressive system for responding to inappropriate behavior. Building-wide, students progress through four "Vs" when exhibiting inappropriate behavior:

• Verbal redirection.

• Visual cue - Student is given a classroom clue such as a stop sign or owl card.

• Vicinity change - Student goes to a classroom "thinking spot" to complete a Wiser Choice Form.

• Vacate - If the minor behavior persists or the student commits a major offense, the student is sent to the office with a pass.

Teachers use Wiser Choice Forms to communicate minor offenses with parents. Wiser Choice Forms are signed by both the student and the teacher after a minor infraction. Parents are expected to sign and return forms the next school day.

Referral Forms are used to communicate both major and minor offenses with parents. Students must return referral forms with a parent signature to the office the next school day to avoid further consequences.

Our Check In/Check Out (CICO) system is designed to help some students manage and monitor their own choices during the school day using a daily progress report called a Hoot Card. The use of the Hoot Card provides support while students work hard to follow our school-wide expectations to Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe. Each student in the program checks in each morning and afternoon with a CICO facilitator who will actively monitor student progress and provide positive encouragement during the day.  The Hoot Card is sent home with the student each day.  It is important to know this is a positive, proactive approach to teaching expectations in our school. Parent support and participation in the program is key to its success.

We actively seek students exhibiting good behaviors too! Bucket tickets are distributed to children when they are caught demonstrating extraordinary acts of kindness, following the rules, or going the extra mile. When students receive a bucket ticket, it is the student's responsibility to put this ticket into their classroom bucket. 

Golden tickets are awarded to students who exhibit exemplary behavior in a targeted behavior area. All golden ticket recipients have their name read over the intercom in the morning at the start of each week. At the end of the month several golden ticket winners are randomly awarded a special prize such as lunch with the principal, extra book check out, sit anywhere at lunch, or move to the front of the lunch line.

To celebrate postive behaviors throughout the year, we have 5-7 HOOT HOOT Hurray Days each year.  HOOT HOOT Hurray Days are a surpise to students; they might be things like a special treat, craft, game or activity, or picnic lunch.

The Oakland Oath
Oakland Owls are respectful.
We are responsible.
We are safe.
We give a HOOT!