School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS) is a proactive and educative way of handling discipline. Schools need different systems to deal with different levels (varying degrees of severity) of problem behaviors, and this collaborative, assessment-based process develops effective interventions for a range of targeted behaviors.

The model emphasizes the use of proactive, educative, and support-based strategies to achieve meaningful and durable behavior and lifestyle outcomes. Its proactive nature tries to prevent inappropriate student behaviors by putting procedures in place or if needed changing the environment. It explicitly defines and teaches students what we expect of them in specific settings and students are acknowledged when they demonstrate the expected behaviors and follow the school rules. Within a system of support, negative consequences are still utilized for inappropriate behavior. However, the emphasis is on developing individual plans for improvement, and collecting data to evaluate whether or not the consequences and interventions utilized are having the desired effect and changing the student’s behavior.

Learn more about PBIS

10th Annual African American History and Cultural Celebration

On March 2, 2023 the entire REACH Academy learning community came together for an educational assembly in commemoration of our 10th Annual African American History and Cultural Celebration.  The purpose of this year’s event was to generalize the breadth of African American ingenuity and influence across society. Throughout the month of February, our school participated in a building-wide project based learning (PBL) initiative that focused on teaching students about African American achievement within a broad range of representations across disciplines. In doing so, our educational community learned how to celebrate the successes of our everyday champions along with the achievements of more well known African American figures throughout the culture.  

Our school was thoroughly represented during the event as each instructional team prepared a five minute PBL presentation on an African American achievement or cultural asset that we all benefit from today. All of the presentations were outstanding in their content, delivery and diversity.  Each one demonstrated meaningful student engagement and made connections beyond the classroom. Additionally, each presentation incorporated literacy strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a result of the month-long learning initiative, our students have come to better understand and value the vastness of achievement within African American culture and American culture as a whole. It is our hope that through these powerful learning experiences, each member of our REACH Academy learning community has come to better understand that African American history is every American’s history. As Americans, we each share in the rich legacy of African American intelligence, expertness and willful determination.

Click here for African American History resources