Perkiomen Valley School District Annual Report 2017-18 Annual Report 2017-18 1 | Page 13

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL NEEDS
p. 13
PVSD Annual Report
2017-18
www.pvsd.org
PV Adds to Student Mental Health Resources
Perkiomen Valley School District has always had a
strong commitment to providing instruction, ser-
vices and other opportunities that help students
to develop not only academically, but also socially
and emotionally.
In the 2017-18 school year, that commitment contin-
ued through the expansion of the School-Wide Pos-
itive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS)
program to include Skippack Elementary School and
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East. Skippack and
East’s adoption of the program brought the district’s
total of schools with SWPBIS in place to four (Ever-
green and South adopted in 2015 and 2016, respec-
tively. Schwenksville and Perkiomen Valley Middle
School West kicked off in 2018-19).
A SWPBIS approach teaches behavioral expec-
tations in the same manner as any core curricu-
lum subject, and stresses character traits such as
respect and responsibility. Faculty and staff are
trained on how to reinforce and reward positive be-
havior in all areas of the school, from the classroom
and the bus, to the cafeteria and the playground.
How positive behavior is recognized varies from
school-to-school, but typically involves rewarding
students with tickets or certificates when teachers
or staff members observe positive behavior.
In spring of 2018, Evergreen Elementary School
was recognized by the state for implementing
SWPBIS with 100-percent fidelity. As one of 300
schools in Pennsylvania to receive this designation,
Evergreen joined an elite group of educators. The
school celebrated with an assembly featuring local
politicians and school district representatives.
In addition to SWPBIS, the district has been placing
a focus on providing resources to support student
social and emotional health. Some of these re-
sources included:
• The addition of a social worker and four additional
school counselors at the elementary level. These
positions were approved in the spring of 2018.
• Partnership with Holcomb Behavioral Health
Systems to allow families needing outpatient
counseling services access through our schools.
• Partnership with Be a Part of the Conversation
to offer three community workshops throughout
the year for parents/guardians about subjects
pertaining to substance abuse.
• Re-establishment of the School Wellness Com-
mittee and organized a subcommittee on men-
tal health and wellness.
Through an assembly held in spring of 2018, Ever-
green Elementary School students celebrated their
school’s achievement of implementing School-Wide
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports with
100-percent fidelity.
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East counselor
Chris Jackson addresses the audience who attend-
ed “Have You Had the Conversation?”, a presenta-
tion held in November 2017 for parents about how
to talk to their children about drugs, alcohol and
substance abuse.