Administrators | Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support

Purpose: Administrators publicly support the SW-PBS process in their school/district and in the community. They are active members of the school/district team and provide on-going leadership, as well as support the leadership of other team members.

Outcomes: Administrators provide the resources to implement and sustain SW-PBS, and indicate their commitment to the SW-PBS process through a variety of communication channels, including assuring that SW-PBS is one of the top 3 goals/missions. They regularly attend team meetings and lend expertise as appropriate. They provide regularly scheduled opportunities for dissemination of SW-PBS related topics to all staff.

Examples of Administrative Leadership Include:

•    Include Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) in School Improvement Plan.
•    Write SW-PBS into school policy.
•    Serve as gate-keeper for “high yield” strategies; prioritize SW-PBS.
•    Provide support/training for all staff in building.
•    Counsel and support teachers who are not implementing SW-PBS.
•    Provide financial support and time for SW-PBS team and activities.
•    Establish a representative team including teacher leaders, support staff, etc.
•    Recruit and support the SW-PBS Coach.
•    Collaborate with team to establish process for school-wide communication system about SW-PBS.
•    Prioritize time for SW-PBS team members and acknowledge efforts.
•    State frequent and public support for SW-PBS with all staff, parents and students.
•    Make SW-PBS a standard faculty meeting agenda item.
•    Provide ongoing information about building SW-PBS goals and activities to key school groups (e.g. district organizations, district administration, parent organizations, student organizations).
•    Expect teachers to list social skills lessons on posted class schedule, to directly teach social skills lessons and to post classroom expectations, common routines and lesson of the week/month.
•    Support the establishment of a system to provide tangible, specific positive feedback to students when they meet expectations.
•    Support teachers in using the building process for addressing behavior violations.
•    Establish a data collection & reporting process that provides complete and accurate “time out of instruction” information.
•    Regularly use data for decision-making.

Administrative Commitment

Commitment and support begins at the district level and district leaders need to be informed and dedicated to the implementation of SW-PBS. Building administrators are expected to be actively involved in implementation and a majority of school staff needs to support implementation of SW-PBS.

As administrators at the district and building level begin to consider implementation of PBS, or are working to sustain and maintain the progress made in their implementation efforts they should review Why is it Prudent and Practical to Implement Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) Districtwide?

How to lead integration of academics and behavior?

School districts benefit from long-range planning across goals and the initiatives that support implementation and sustainability. The Excelsior Springs district schools are building improvement plans that address their work in an integrated and strategic manner. See the SIP developed by Lewis Elementary and take a look at some of their other strategic SW-PBS work.

Web Based Resources for Administrative Leadership

The High School PBS Monograph has a chapter by Dr. Beverly Kasper: Loyola University of Chicago entitled Administrative Support and Roles for Implementation of Positive Behavior Support in High Schools. (see citation below)

Bohanon-Edmonson, H., Flannery, K.B., Eber, L., & Sugai, G. (2004) Positive Behavior Support in High Schools: Monograph from the 2004 Illinois High School Forum of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. University of Oregon unpublished manuscript.

Print Based Resources for Administrative Leadership

Colvin, G. & Sprick, R. (1999). Providing administrative leadership for effective behavior support: Ten strategies for principals. Effective School Practices, 17(4), 65-71.