Partnering with School/Family/Community at

All Three Tiers, Part IKimberli Breen

Technical Assistance DirectorIL-PBIS Network

Lou Cavallo Superintendent of SchoolsForest Park School District

Timothy E. Gillian

Village Administrator

Village of Forest Park

Session Description:• Describe how one community partnered

across all settings; implementing Community-wide PBIS, to support youth and their families in the: – schools, – library,– park district – community (via police department, crossing

guards, community center etc.)

Forest Park District 91

• Urban Fringe district just west of the city of Chicago

• 5 schools – 2 primary, 2 intermediate, 1 Middle School

• Very Diverse: 49% Black, 22.5% White, 12.5% Hispanic, 16% Other.

• 36% Low income

District-Wide PBIS Implementation

• Started with Middle school to build momentum

• PBIS Objectives included in District Strategic Plan

• Communicate PBIS objectives and successes to parents at all opportunities

• Behavioral (SWIS) data reported to the board twice a year

• Beginning to include parents on PBIS teams in the schools

09-10/10-11 Behavioral SWIS Data- Total ODR’s

09-10/10-11 Behavioral SWIS Data- Problem Behavior

Community-wide PBIS Implementation

• Initiated by discussion of how best to use prevention grant funds by the police department– Unique way to use grant funding…previously for ‘same

ole’ programs…– Stopped just throwing out ideas…“youth center”,

“basketball with a cop”...needed structure/systems approach

• Goal is to have same expectations, strategies and “common language” for youth throughout the community

• Open dialogue between agencies centered around positive solutions and intervention instead of negative consequences

Community-wide Process

• Data: surveyed youth…– turned out there was plenty to do– “Have millions of programs for kids, but if no

one shows up, doesn’t have an effect”

Community-wide Process• Designated roles:

– External Community Coach– Internal Coaches (police, library etc.)– PBIS Administrators (police chief, library director etc.)

• Formed Community-Wide PBIS Leadership Team:– PBIS Admin & Coaches from each site– District Supt., Village Manager, PBIS Network

• Trained teams from all settings (police, schools, library etc.)

Community-wide PBIS Implementation

Whose involved?Community-wide Leadership team:

•Village hall

•Police Department

•Park District

•Community Center

•Parents

•Library

•Schools/District

Community-wide Process

• Monthly Community-wide Leadership Team mtgs.

• Monthly Community-wide Coaches meetings

• Family/Community Forum/s

• On-going training (ex. new summer staff at pool/park etc.)

• Picnic and other community events

Accomplishments

Accomplishments

8th grade graduation

•Superintendent’s message about “Be”

•Principal’s message & youth response

Accomplishments: Community-Wide Picnic

• Leadership Team planned together– Decided on community signs (see slide)– Developed Picnic Matrix (see slide)

• Everyone (agency) did their part

• All staff working the picnic were included in plan– Everyone distributed ‘tickets’– Every agency contributed prizes

posters

Picnic Expectations MatrixCommon Area

(This covers the entire picnic)Pool Games

Be Respectful *Wait your turn*Use appropriate language*Use kind words*Use good manners*Say: “Please” & “Thank You”*Follow directions of all adults

*Follow lifeguard directions 

*Cheer each other on

Be Responsible Check in with adults as directed*Throw all garbage and recycling in appropriate containers

*Secure belongings *Know and follow the game rules*Return equipment

Be Safe *Stay in designated area*Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself* Know who you are leaving with

*Walk on deck*Feet first down slide*Report accidents/injuries to adults

*Use game materials appropriately

Acknowledgement System: Raffle Prizes

• Police Dept.: gift basket, t-shirt, hat, ride in police car

• Fire Dept.: t-shirt, ride to school in Fire Truck• Community Center: bike• Park District: 2 family pool passes (4 visits)

• School: open gym, up to 10 people• Library: movie/game night w. pop/pizza, up

to 10 people

Accomplishments: Community-Wide Picnic

• Tickets (adults wanted more tickets)

• 0 (zero!) behavior problems

• Brought balloons to Superintendent

• Included Catholic school teachers

• Parents noticed & commented

• Village administration sent “thank you”

PBIS Applied to Other Community Events

Healthy Communities Grant

Using PBIS framework for:– Clarifying expectations for

youth/families/community/police etc.– Teaching expectations in school, community

settings & home– Acknowledging behavior (Police ‘tickets’)

•Combined Family/Community Forums on Safe Routes, PBIS & other hot topics

– Ex. Helping your child walk to school with bedtime & morning routines

PBIS Community-wide

Be RespectfulBe Responsible

Be Safe

Saturday Bike Rides

Positive Citations

Tickets

How to Get Started

How to Get Started• Identify a community-wide goal/need

– Use data– Survey families/community

• Identify your stakeholders– Who else cares about this goal?– Who can help make an impact on this goal?– What groups/settings support your students

when they’re not in school?

• Showing past collaborations made eligible for more money/grants… “take 1st step”

How to Get Started: Relationships• Build on past collaborations, relationships• Can be simple…start casual…make initial call!• Don’t underestimate the School Board

– They influence their neighbors• PTO: Can help get families to come to other

events…must have ‘buzz’• No rule that you can’t walk right into mayors

office…take direct approach• Encourage Superintendent to get to know the

Mayor…2-way relationship (think…property values!)

How to Get Started: Process• Build upon existing successes…(i.e. Middle

School already doing well w. PBIS)• Use data to determine early successes,

then share successes with others...local success leads to more – Newspaper– District website– Community Forums– Word of mouth

• If no systems, no number of ‘practices’ will ever be good enough

How to Get Started: Leadership

Getting leaders to invest time and energy:

•Demand it/expect it

•Start where you’re most likely to get leadership success..

•Identify and work towards mutual goals

Team without leaders can’t make decisions!

Overcoming Challenges• Everyone has challenges…weather the

course…hang in there!– Ex. Police department implementation didn’t

make sense for people at first– Still determining role for Fire Department

• Importance of Leadership at all levels…– Must have leaders who can make decisions

• Can’t have too big of a committee or no action

• Keep holding meetings

“It’s in everyone’s best interest that the schools are safe, responsible & respectful.”

“Schools are what make

a town.”Timothy E. Gillian

Village Administrator

What actions are you taking to increase partnerships?

Enhanced Phases of Implementation

See hand-out

Questions/Comments

Maximizing Your Session Participation

Work with your team

Consider 4 questions:

- What Implementation Phase?

- What do I hope to learn?

- What did I learn?

- What will I do with what I learned?

Where are you in the implementation process?

Adapted from Fixsen & Blase, 2005