Education forum focuses on behavioral strategies, testing, school calendar and legislative action

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

You didn?t need all your fingers to count on one hand the number of people, not associated with the school district in some form, who attended Tuesday?s night?s Mt. Pleasant Community School District?s final education forum.

Attendees were taken through presentations on positive behavior intervention strategies (PBIS) and Character Counts; changes to the 2012-13 school calendar; the district testing program; and any legislative changes to the Iowa Code and how those changes will impact schools.

Superintendent Dr. John Roederer and Paul Beatty, district director of instruction, said changes were needed in behavior education due to the changes in the family structure. ?What worked well with middle-class families when we grew up does not work today because families have changed greatly,? Beatty noted. ?We are instructing and re-enforcing correct behavior.?

The PBIS model is used in the elementary and middle schools while the high school began the Character Counts program this year.

At the core of PBIS is the acronym PRIDE. The letters in the acronym represent practical responsibility; respect and safety; integrity; do your best; and empathy.

?We talk about acceptable behaviors in the school and teachers are seeing improvement (in behavior). From that acronym (PRIDE), you can apply behavior to any area or setting,? Beatty remarked.

Breaking down the acronym even further, practical responsibility is defined as taking responsibility for actions. Resepct means showing respect toward yourself, others and property. Integrity represents being honest, being true to yourself and others. Doing your best is challenging yourself to go above and beyond. Empathy means taking care and thinking of others and being helpful.

Roederer and Beatty said the PBIS was implemented because the district was looking for a common language regarding behavioral expectations and consequences. They said 80 percent of students respond to PBIS. ?When we are all speaking the same language, it is powerful,? Roederer said. ?We are sending one common language about how we do business at the school.?

Students exhibiting good behavior are rewarded with such perks as sitting in comfortable chairs, eating lunch with a favorite teacher, etc. ?We are building a culture that responsible behavior is expected,? Beatty commented.

Character Counts, a program that has been in some state schools for over a decade, is in its first year at Mt. Pleasant High School. The foundation of the program is the six pillars of good conduct: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

?We have to have a very secure and orderly environment for academics to remain strong,? Roederer stated. ?We have a very transient population, the amount of students moving in and out (of the district) this year is higher than it has ever been.?

The school district?s testing program, Beatty said, is basically a process for obtaining information. The MAPS testing program, which includes assessment testing three times yearly, is in its fourth year at Mt. Pleasant. The district also uses the Iowa Assessment, formerly known as the Iowa Test of Educational Development. The Iowa Assessment is given once a year.

MAPS testing reveals student strengths with respect to the school, district, state and nation, Beatty explained. Through that data, school officials can use relative comparisons to evaluate programs, set expectations and determine interventions.

Todd Liechty, high school principal, said Mt. Pleasant students averaged 22.1 on the ACT exam. The state average is 22.3. The average in the WACO School District last year was 23.9.

Roederer briefly discussed the school calendar. Mt. Pleasant will have 180 days of classes next year. There will be professional development for faculty during the first and third Mondays of each month, meaning a 90-minute late start for regular classes on those days.

Turning to developments in the Iowa Legislature, the superintendent said that ?a lot of the items discussed are off the table (in the legislature).? Some of those items include online learning, core curriculum matters, annual teacher evaluations and retention of third graders if they don?t show reading proficiency.

A conference committee, he said, is meeting to work on school and college funding for the 2013-14 school year.

Another matter that won?t receive action this year is a proposed law mandating that the school year cannot begin until the fourth Monday of August.

Despite the low attendance at the three forums, Roederer said he plans to host similar meetings next year. ?We will continue with these even though attendance has been low. I think they are important.?