PBIS Demonstrated to Senator Pamela Althoff

Lake County – “Being Responsible, Respectful and Safe” is not a part of the Boy Scout Oath but it is a small part of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) System that has been adopted at John Powers Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in Vernon Hills. It is defined as, “… a proactive systems approach for establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.”

                  One example of a PBIS lesson was experienced recently by Illinois State Senator Pamela Althoff; Howard Atlas, Ed.D., Technical Assistance Coordinator of Illinois PBIS Network; and Cheri Sinnott, LCSW, Director of Illinois Service Resource Center. John Powers Center teacher Angel O’Rourke presented a “Cool Tool” lesson on being respectful by closing a laptop computer gently. This included demonstration, role play, and interactive questions. Following the lesson, students are asked to complete a “Cool Tool Reflection” sheet that includes a statement of what the student has learned from the lesson and a place to draw a picture of their experience. This is then posted in the hallway for other students to see. There are also several postings around the building addressing “Opportunities to Change Your Bus Behavior” and “Opportunities to Change Your Attitude”.

                  The PBIS system was originally a national program but was shifted to the school-wide behavior support of all students about 14 years ago. The John Powers Center has been actively participating in the PBIS system for the past 5 years and are finding the students very receptive to the lessons. The system is designed to develop structures for teaching expected behaviors and social skills, create student behavior and academic support systems, and apply data-based decision-making to discipline, academics, and social/emotional learning at the school, district, regional and state levels. It is an Illinois State Board of Education funded initiative promoting effective practices to benefit all children.

SEDOL is a special education joint agreement organized in 1960 to provide cooperative program planning, instructional programs, related services and professional staff development in order to assure an appropriate education for children with disabilities, from 3 to 22 years of age, residing within the boundaries of 35 participating school districts.