Schools recognized for RTI2-B behavior program
SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED – East Elementary School Principal Brittanie Doaks (from left), counselor Misty Lewis and Stigall Primary School Principal are all pumped up after the schools being recognized. East earned the gold level RTI2-B Model of Demonstration School, one of four in the state. Stigall participates in the program and is a School of Recognition for implementing the RTI2-B program.
by Danny Wade
Two Humboldt schools have received an illustrious recognition for implementing a program that rewards good behavior. East Elementary School and Stigall Primary School are participating in the RTI2-B program.
The Tennessee Behavior Supports Project (TBSP) at Vanderbilt University (funded by the Tennessee Department of Education) is proud to announce that East Elementary School has been selected as a 2019-2020 gold level RTI2-B Model of Demonstration School. There are over 1,800 schools across the state of Tennessee and each year a small percentage of schools meet criteria to be selected as an RTI2-B Model of Demonstration School, according to a statement from TBSP.
East Elementary School has been a participant in training and technical assistance provided by TBSP and has undergone the process of implementing a positive and proactive behavioral systems framework for all students.
“East was awarded gold level status from Tennessee Behavior Supports Project,” said Brittanie Doaks, principal of East Elementary School. “We were one of four schools in West Tennessee that received this distinguished award. Gold level award is designated for schools that implement a three-tier behavior support system with fidelity for the 2018-2019 school year. Also noted that Humboldt City Schools was a pilot district for Family and Community
Engagement (FACE), which is also part of this program. East Elementary has been awarded the Model of Demonstration School since the implementation of the program in 2016.”
The RTI2-B framework consists of: identifying common behavioral expectations across campus, teaching, re-teaching, reinforcing, and regularly acknowledging students, faculty, and families for exhibiting these expectations. East Elementary has applied this framework to improve the climate, culture and proactive disciplinary practices, which directly impacts student engagement and school connectedness. In meeting this award criteria East Elementary School demonstrated use of school-wide behavioral data to inform teaching practices and levels of support provided to students based on need. Twice a year, they also reflected on overall fidelity to guide their implementation of the RTI2-B framework.
Stigall Primary School participates in the RTI2-B program and received recognition for enacting the behavioral program, while getting results.
“For the 2019-2020 school year, Stigall was considered a School of Recognition for implementing the RTI2-B program,” stated Tiffany Purnell, principal of Stigall Primary School. “We reward students for positive behavior. The rewards motivate the students to be well behaved. Students receive a STAR ticket for good behavior and they have the opportunity to attend the behavior parties at the end of each month and behavior field trips.”
Not only are student rewarded, teachers and staff are also rewarded for implementing the program.
“The teachers and staff are also rewarded for rewarding the students,” Purnell continued. “Any teacher or staff member who gives students STAR tickets get their names placed in a drawing, where the teachers/staff have the chance of winning awesome prizes, such as a week of wearing blue jeans to school.”
It is TBSP’s goal that no school in Tennessee should have to travel more than 45 minutes to see an exemplary school implementing RTI2-B. As a gold level RTI2-B Model of Demonstration School, East Elementary can now serve as a mentor to other schools across Tennessee. This was presented at the Partners In Education Conference held in Nashville by the Department of Education.
“In 2016, Dr. Versie Hamlett partnered with West Tennessee Behavior Supports to begin the implementation of the program in all schools,” Principal Doaks noted. “This program has allowed our students to participate in various positive rewards to encourage continued good behavior. This program has also decreased the number of student discipline referrals by half.”
Humboldt should be proud of the good work being done within the school system. Being recognized by the state for their hard work and efforts is certainly something to be proud of.
