GROVELAND – Cecil E. Gray Middle School has been named a 2023-2024 bronze-level Florida PBIS Model School, recognizing its successful implementation of the Florida Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports System (FLPBIS).
PBIS is an integration of many strategies and programs that create a Multi-Tiered System of Support for student behavior. It involves making system changes to the school environment, acknowledging appropriate behavior, and using data to determine the effectiveness of their techniques.
Tara Hatch, the district’s administrative coordinator for student support and academic enrichment, worked with Gray Middle and other schools in the district monthly and held an 18-hour professional learning with faculty and staff in partnership with the Florida PBIS Project on June 3-5.
“I’m very proud of the work that has been done,” she said. “Gray Middle has proven that when we put our eyes on all students and let the data determine our decisions, we can be successful.”
Gray Middle School Principal Missy Frana said she noticed shortly after the peak of COVID that students were having a difficult time integrating back into school. It showed in their misbehavior, defiance and disrespect.
“We decided to be explicit in teaching the behaviors we wanted to see based on our GATORS acronym,” she said. “Gators are Goal-oriented, Academically focused, Trustworthy, Organized, Respectful and Striving for greatness. So now we run an altered bell schedule on Mondays to focus on things like kindness and empathy,, conflict resolution, respect and goal setting. We also use lessons that show students appropriate communication in social media.”
Combined with their lessons, Gray Middle rewards students with Gator Bucks for positive behaviors such as coming to class prepared, participating in class, and being helpful and kind. Students can use their Gator Bucks for items on the PBIS cart that comes around every Friday. Additionally, once a month the school hosts PBIS events such as Bingo games, a walking field trip to Lake David, student vs. staff volleyball games and movie shorts in the auditorium with hot cocoa and cookies, all sponsored by local businesses.
But PBIS is not just about the fun stuff. “We have to pull very specific discipline data each year,” Frana said. “Based on the data, we decided that we needed to take a proactive approach with our students and staff to better understand where some students’ behaviors come from and how we can be more aware of our reactions as adults. We also take the time to put our discipline numbers in front of our staff monthly. We have a PBIS committee that brainstorms solutions to our problems and sets goals for discipline reduction.”
Between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, Frana said she saw a 67 percent decrease in violent behaviors. “Now, that’s something to celebrate!” she said.
For the first quarter of this school year they set a goal for a 10 percent reduction in referrals. As of September 4, the Q1 discipline problems are down 27% compared to last year.
“We are doing great things,” Frana said. “I am just so excited and so proud!”
