Lilliana Escobar
Editor
As hall sweeps begin to penalize tardy students, Math teacher, Essie Jones, volunteered to assist with a solution with PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports) to shift the narrative by rewarding students who are on time instead of punishing those who are not. Students who are present without being tardy for two straight weeks from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9 will have the opportunity to win Regal movie tickets.
The PBIS team aims to incorporate social, emotional, and academic success into the school building with the support of Titan PRIDE (Positive attitude, Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Determination, Excellence). Math teacher, Jones stated, “I would like to see an increase in school spirit. Instead of allowing poor behavior to escalate and giving students punitive consequences, I would like to be proactive in teaching students behavior expectations and rewarding them for a job well done.”
This will be the first PRIDE event she has coordinated this school year with PBIS Student Ambassadors. “[PBIS Student Ambassadors] meet monthly to discuss and plan activities, challenges, and events for the student body. All students are welcome to join,” states Jones. In September, the PBIS team initially planned to have a system where office staff, security, administrators, the food/nutrition team, and the custodial team could distribute Titan Tickets to reward students for demonstrating positive behaviors. In the Theogony article, Ticket Tickets: Risk or Reward?, staff writer Zoe Sermons describes this proposed system which also included a raffle process for a reward. The rewards included, “…gift cards, Playstation video games, access to Minnie Howard game room and activities, school store privileges, access to school events and athletic games, ice cream socials, a party on the Upper Courtyard and classroom pizza parties,” rewards to which Ms. Jones wants to plan for future events.
In order to be entered in the ticket raffle, students must attend class bell to bell without being absent or late– with no exceptions. Students must have a teacher’s signature each period to certify that they arrived and left class on schedule. Then, students must submit this document to Jones in room B226. Movie tickets will be distributed on December 14 during all lunches. Students’ names will be placed in a bowl and drawn out anonymously for a chance to win one out of the 50 Regal Premiere Movie tickets.
Jones said, “The movie ticket raffle for class attendance is providing a small incentive to encourage students to be on time for classes. I like to shine a light on students doing the right thing.” Jones receives donations and support from the Titan community for PBIS Projects. PBIS Student Ambassadors meet monthly to discuss and plan activities, challenges, and events for the student body. Some students believe this is a great initiative to start positive reinforcement instead of negative reinforcement for student presence. Senior Jamanie Fairnot states, “Compared to hall sweeps, positive reinforcement is the way to go. Hall sweeps make students more late and take away time from instruction when, in retrospect, they probably would be in class during that time,” Senior Dayana Gonzalez supports the incentive since positive reinforcements allow teachers to work with the students, “some students [struggle] with mental illness so that has an effect in their daily schedule and school doesn’t become a priority,” Gonzalez continues, “Students are willing to work with faculty if they are meeting them in the middle.”
Fairnot also states that there are other factors contributing to tardies, so the incentive is not as effective, “[Tardies] do not stem from people not wanting to make it to class on time. There are obstacles in the way such as locking [the] bathrooms. This creates long lines and makes it hard for students to get to where they need to be.”
