Fix School Discipline Toolkit for Educators | Page 22

meaning when students feel more connected to
their school and the adults on campus, they feel
more comfortable and safe then they want to make
sure it’s a good place to be so they don’t throw trash
everywhere.

How much does it cost per school year to
implement these alternatives? How are
you paying for them?
Former Principal Kerry Callahan: SWPBIS
doesn’t really cost anything, maybe $2000 on
SWPBIS materials, like the Patriot Pats we give to
kids for good behavior and our school-wide rule
posters. It doesn’t cost money to change. It takes
time. It’s simple. If you spend time at the beginning
to do it right and teach students the expectations,
you save so much time and energy and you gain
positive feelings when things are going smoothly.
Additionally, teachers have time to teach because
they aren’t dealing with behavior issues all the time.
It’s ultimately the idea that if you don’t remediate
the problem that existed then it will just continue.
These practices remediate and change the behavior.
We have seen the financial benefits of our
investments. Because of our increase in attendance,
there is a daily payout increase to the district. It costs
more money to do the wrong thing because you lose
money when kids don’t want to come to school.

Do you have any advice for principals who
want to start implementing practices like
these ones?
Read about brain research and the way adolescents’
brains are wired that impacts how they behave.
We have to guide them and help them rewire their
brains. I recommend Rewired: Understanding the
iGeneration and the Way They Learn, by Larry D.
Rosen.
Principal Arias: We are definitely continuing
the work that Ms. Callahan started here - youth
development framework, PBIS, and restorative
justice. I implemented restorative justice at San
Rafael High School, so everything that is happening
here is right in line with my own belief that strong
school climate is critical to student success. In order
to help our students be academically successful and
successful in life, we focus on keeping students in
school and engaged.

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How we can fix school discipline

My vision for our next step here at Pioneer is to
implement restorative circles school-wide. We
will also be expanding use of restorative circles
outside of the in-school suspension room and offer
restorative circles in lieu of out-of-school suspension,
as a way to allow students to be accountable for their
behavior and help them make amends.
At Pioneer, we have definitely bought into the idea
that relationships are essential to student success
and school climate. I come from a counseling
background. School climate is so critical because
students need to feel connected, which helps them
feel like they hav e something to contribute to the
school community, which in turn empowers them to
feel capable of success.

Crunching the Numbers: Does it Work?
Since the implementation of SWPBIS and BEST,
Pioneer High has experienced a reduction in
suspensions from 646 before implementation to 118 in
2013-2014. These reductions also correspond with an
increase in academic performance index (API) points
from 672 before implementation to 745 in 2012-2013. In
2011-2012, the reduction in absences and suspensions
translated to into an increase in ADA funding of
$97,200.

Contact information:
Pioneer High School
1400 Pioneer Avenue
Woodland, CA 95776
Phone: [phone]

Additional resources:
Youth Development Network: YDNetwork.org
Challenge Day: www.ChallengeDay.org
WJUSD Building Effective Communities
Together (BEST): www.wjusd.org/BEST