When students return to school after extended time off, getting back into school routines can be challenging. This tends to be the case when students return after winter break. While revisiting PBIS expectations with students after students are away from school routines for any length of time may feel unnecessary, a PBIS Reboot or Refresher can help transition students when you return from a break.
A PBIS Reboot for your PBIS team
Your PBIS team drives PBIS implementation and efforts in a building. These individuals invest heavily in a PBIS program, so it is essential to check in on them to ensure they are not feeling overwhelmed or worn down and provide support. After you return for an extended break, review your data to re-energize and rebuild enthusiasm by focusing on positive gains in your PBIS program.
A PBIS Reboot for your staff
Returning from an extended break is not the time to ease up on PBIS. However, returning to the swing of things after a break can feel like a tough battle. Utilize the same data you share with your leadership team to highlight the positive aspects of your PBIS program. You can also revisit your PBIS action plan to refocus on areas of improvement. During this time, reevaluate your goals to encourage buy-in and participation with fidelity. How can we encourage and recognize staff for their implementation efforts?
A PBIS Reboot for your students
It can be challenging for students to reacclimate to school routines after an extended break. The first few school days can be difficult as students and staff readjust to routines and expectations. During the first few weeks of school, staff members should revisit the matrix and reteach behavior expectations as needed. Revisiting and reteaching should include modeling, application, and opportunities for feedback. Integrating a school-wide reboot or a special incentive may energize and refocus students on making positive choices to meet behavior expectations.
Here are a few suggestions for refreshing your PBIS come January!
- Review expectations and classroom routines- Students often go for several weeks during winter break. Sometimes, it may feel like you have an entirely new group of students returning to your classroom! While at home, students may not have had a schedule or routine, so it is important to ease back into routine, as many may have forgotten how to function at school. We should not expect our students to do things like they did before winter break. Imagine they are a blank slate; we can reteach those expectations and routines.
- Refresh rewards and recognition systems- This could be the perfect time to change it up for better results for the second half of the school year! Not eliminating the acknowledgment system in place, but evaluating how you are using what you are using, what is working, what is not working, and how you can refresh your system. How can you make recognizing student positive behaviors more engaging and fun? We must recognize our students for their efforts to meet expectations.
Providing refresh information to families- We can all agree that family involvement is vital to student success. While we are providing our students a reboot at school, it may be helpful to again provide our families with information regarding a PBIS program. Like students, they may have forgotten about the information shared earlier in the year; as we all know, the holidays can be a crazy busy time! A few possible suggestions include sharing your PBIS matrix, information regarding building expectations, classroom routines, acknowledgment system, communication pathways, and volunteer opportunities.