School Culture & Climate

PBIS is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. It is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based, school-wide, and classroom behavior support systems. The process focuses on improving a school’s ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students. Rather than a prescribed program, PBIS provides systems for schools to design, implement, and evaluate effective school-wide, classroom, non-classroom, and student specific plans. PBIS includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for all students and all staff in all settings. PBIS is not a program or a curriculum. It is a team-based process for systemic problem solving, planning, and evaluation. It is an approach to creating a safe and productive learning environment where teachers can teach and all students can learn.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework that supports students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. It also improves teacher health and wellbeing. It is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives.

What you will begin to see around schools are posters and signs reminding students of rules and procedures. There will be a greater emphasis on teaching and modeling behavior expectations for students.

Providing PBIS and Restorative Practices on our schools sites will support our PCS Board Goals:

All student scholars will experience an excellent, diverse, equitable, and inclusive education. (Board Goal 1)

Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) goal:

All students will learn in a healthy, safe, and welcoming environment that fosters equity and inclusion. (LCAP Goal 2)

PBIS Website PCS Discipline Handbook for Families Bullying Prevention Resources for Students Who Identify or Are Perceived as Neurodivergent

Restorative Practices

A field within the social sciences that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities. Restorative practices are used in schools to foster an equitable and positive school culture. Restorative practices focus on strengthening relationships and connections between individuals, both youth and adults, in a school community.

The intention of restorative justice is to shift the focus of student discipline from punishment to reflecting learning. It emphasizes accountability, making amends, and facilitating dialogue between affected parties.

The concept of restorative justice is based on three pillars:

1. Harms and needs. Empathy and awareness is required to understand the harm that was done as well as the factors that might have contributed to the situation.
2. Obligation (to make things right). This entails a moderated process that helps stakeholders understand, discuss, and resolve the problem
3. Engagement. All parties—victim, offender, and the broader community— are involved in the dialogue and the healing process.

Restorative practices in schools

Strategies that use the underlying principles of restorative justice instead of traditional punishment measures. They represent a positive step forward in helping all students—from elementary school through middle school and high school—learn how to navigate conflict resolution, take ownership of their behavior, and practice empathy, perspective-taking, and forgiveness.