PBIS and MTSS at OQS 

PBIS, or Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, is a school-wide system that recognizes the positive contributions of students.  The main goal of PBIS is to help every student at Ottauquechee School develop self-discipline to make positive choices.

The PBIS process focuses on our school’s ability to teach and support expected behaviors for all students.  As a result, instructional time is more effectively used for teaching and the overall school environment is calm, pleasant, and focused on learning.

School Wide Universal P.B.I.S.

Positive strategies to help all students learn P.A.W.S.expectations.

• P.A.W.S. expectations are taught for all school settings.
  • Bathroom
  • Classroom(each class builds their Classroom P.A.W.S. expectations)
  • Hallway
  • Recess
  • Cafeteria
• P.A.W. Squad (Alisha)
• OQS Alphabits are earned school wide for showing expected behaviors.
  • Classrooms celebrate every time their class earns 100 alphabits.
  • School wide celebrations are earned each time we earn the set goal. Celebration activities include school wide extra recess, parking lot chalk time, fall festival, forest time, Ice pops, staff/student dance off, craft time, hot chocolate delivery
• Second Step is a social skills curriculum that is taught to each class.
• Movement Paths are located at each level
• Take a Break (sometimes called Ready to Learn Reset) is a place in all settings where students can go to regulate themselves and rejoin the group. Reset is a tool for students  to learn to manage their behavior. It is not a punishment.

Targeted P.B.I.S. Supports

Targeted supports help students learn and practice the skill to consistently show P.A.W.S. behaviors towards themselves and others through the Wolf Den.

OQS targeted supports may include:

• Check in-Check out
• Processing Breaks
• Scheduled/earned Breaks
• Social Skills groups
• Recess/Bus Academy
• Targeted Skill Building

Intensive P.B.I.S. 

For students needing extra support, we provide a range of options, including Behavior Support Plans, to help them meet their goals. Support may be given in the classroom, in the Wolf Den, in the Think Tank, or a combination of all of the above. Our team includes classroom teachers, special educators, student support professionals, school-based HCRS clinician, and Dr. Slammon, the Hartford School District clinical director.

For students that qualify, the Think Tank is a therapeutic program within our own school building. Students engage in academic and social emotional learning there for as long as needed before they begin transitioning back to the classroom environment.