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International Educational Collaboration Comes to Vista: Roosevelt Middle School Hosts Education Team From The Netherlands

Roosevelt Middle School recently hosted a team of Dutch educational experts.

Roosevelt Middle School recently hosted a team of Dutch educational experts to showcase how they are implementing a program entitled ‘Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports’ (PBIS). The program focuses on specific practices to support students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health at the secondary level.

Roosevelt’s implementation of PBIS has already yielded significant results, with fewer disciplinary measures needed, and a school culture that proactively rewards and directs positive expectations. When the Dutch team asked leaders at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) if they could recommend a school to see the program in action, Roosevelt was the office’s recommendation.

Roosevelt Middle School recently hosted a team of Dutch educational experts.

Of the suggestion from the SDCOE, Rhonda Marriott Spencer, Director MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) for Vista USD, explains why Roosevelt was chosen: “VUSD is in year two of implementing PBIS through our contract with the San Diego County Office of Education. The school from the Netherlands reached out to the county requesting a site visit with a school that has exemplary practices in place and SDCOE recommended Roosevelt.”

The visiting team learned about the ways that Roosevelt approaches discipline and culture-building, including how behavioral handbooks for all grade levels and behavior matrices are used as guides for both students and staff. Strategies in the plan include behavior-specific praise and ‘dignified error correction’, which help reinforce a positive atmosphere in class. 

Social Emotional Supports & Data Working Hand in Hand 

A Group of Students and Two Women at a Table.

The introduction of ‘calming corners’ and wellness centers also offer a supportive resource for students in need, promoting emotional well-being within the school community. Discipline flow charts and regular analysis of discipline data help ensure the PBIS program is correctly implemented and allow for ongoing improvement of reteaching strategies when challenges occur. 

Teachers received training in PBIS principles and strategies to effectively implement the program in their classrooms, says Roosevelt Assistant Principal Sochie Schmitz. “Feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive as they appreciate the structured framework provided by PBIS and its effectiveness in managing classroom behavior.”
Schmitz says students are taught and retaught the expectations. “Teachers are coached to offer correction through positive specific feedback, identify a specific behavior to improve, and end with encouragement and the school-wide expectation.”

Students and Adults Sitting Together in a Room.

 Students are also acknowledged and praised for ongoing appropriate behavior,  individually and in groups, with various recognition rewards to celebrate and reinforce the approach. Student voice is also a key part of building a culture around the program, as students’ input on reward incentives is shared via the school Associated Student Body (ASB).

Schmitz shared the school’s transformation journey over the past two years as one in which students struggled to socialize appropriately after returning to school, to one in which there is a feeling of consistency and safety on the campus. She says that PBIS has played a vital role in behavior improvement and student suspensions have been drastically reduced. 

Commitment is District-Wide

Spencer speaks to the district’s commitment to and confidence in the program. “In our ongoing commitment to fostering positive school climates throughout the Vista Unified School District, our schools are dedicated to the implementation of PBIS. Two cohorts of schools have coordinated site teams and are dedicating time and effort for a series of professional learning opportunities to build their capacity to enhance positive behavior.”

“The dual-cohort approach exemplifies our dedication to the systematic integration of PBIS, ensuring a comprehensive and phased implementation across our district,” says Tammy Lee, Coordinator of Student Support Services. “While each school is in various stages of PBIS implementation, our ultimate goal is to provide a behavior continuum of support.”

Spencer continues: “School teams in both cohorts continue to expand their expertise and refine their practices to provide supplemental and intensified supports for students that require additional guidance. As we prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, both cohorts will continue to refine their behavior systems by participating in professional learning to ensure the school and staff have the capacity for sustained implementation of a joyful learning environment.”