Good Behavior Program Expanding In Niagara Falls Schools

[Dr Funky]

http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_articl...?storyid=44049

Good Behavior Program Expanding In Niagara Falls Schools

Walk into Gaskill Middle School in Niagara Falls, and the signs are everywhere.

Some promote positive traits of the month, like honesty and caring.

Larger signs spell out what is expected of students: Be respectful, be responsible, be safe, be bully-free.

It started last school year, and administrators and teachers are raving about it.

"We've seen a 50% reduction in our overall discipline referrals in terms of things like disruptive conduct, insubordination, you know, the things that basically drive success out of the classroom," said sixth grade teacher Mike Tambroni.

The program is not offered in a single class. It is pushed throughout the school day by all teachers, who discuss positive behavior in class.

"I think everyone is trying to set an example for everyone else and setting the bar high," said eighth grader Matthew Laurrie.

Administrators said it all started when Gaskill was on the state list of schools in need of improvement in 2002 because of low test scores. That made them eligible for a federal grant, through the state, to help them focus on behavior. The first grant was $30,000, according to Gaskill Middle School Principal Joe Colburn. The program has been such a huge success at Gaskill, that the district has been awarded a $1.1 million federal grant to expand it over three years to include three elementary schools.

Administrators said most of the money covers after hours teacher training and consultants who come in to work with challenging students. Some funding, an estimated $5,000 at Gaskill, is also used to pay for weekly incentives, or prizes, for students. They are awarded through a raffle system to students who have exhibited positive behavior, and include items like colorful cups filled with treats. Once a month, larger prizes are given to deserving students, such as portable CD players.

"It makes people want to be good and want to respect people," said eighth grader Dolores Pereira.

Asked if some people might see the prizes as bribing students into good behavior, Principal Joe Colburn said, "I think it's important to celebrate when you're asking a community of people, adults or kids, this is the way we want to behave. I think it's a good way of promoting it."

Colburn said he treats small groups of students, once a month, to have lunch with the principal, at his own expense. He also said some of the most favorite, positive reinforcement doesn't cost anything.

Students said besides the prizes, they enjoy name recognition for good behavior during morning and afternoon announcements.

Colburn said that Gaskill is no longer on the state list of schools needing improvement.

Administrators said it has not yet been decided which elementary schools will be awarded the grant money to implement the program.

[Linda_D]

I'm glad to see city public schools getting some positive publicity. Contrary to what a lot of people on this board think, most public schools in Upstate NY are doing a good job, even city schools with lots of poor and disadvantaged students. This article points up the importance of setting high but reasonable standards for students, encouraging them to reach those standards, and rewarding those who improve. Sadly, some children have never been taught what most of us consider "good behavior" just like some of them haven't been taught good personal hygiene. It would be better if these things were taught at home, but when they're not, the public schools have to do it.

Jamestown has lots of poor students, too, but people don't move out of the city so their children can go to "better" schools. Some city elementary schools are better than others, but that's because they contain more disadvantaged students than other schools. The district works hard to try to prevent any one school from being "overwhelmed" by poor students. Because of our low population, there's never been many private schools here, so everybody's invested in the public schools.

What too many posters don't seem to understand is that it's Buffalo that dysfunctional not the rest of Upstate NY!