FONTANA, CA – Twenty-six Fontana Unified schools have earned platinum, gold, silver and bronze awards from the California Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Coalition, recognizing their successful execution of PBIS practices to create a positive campus culture and increase student engagement.

This year’s group of PBIS Implementation Award recipients is the largest achieved by the District, with the number of honorees increasing every year. Citrus, Cypress, Date, Redwood, and Juniper Elementary Schools, Dolores Huerta International Academy, and Harry S. Truman and Sequoia Middle Schools have earned platinum certifications for their stellar execution of PBIS strategies during the 2021-22 school year.

“This District is committed to supporting student success in and out of the classroom and that effort includes providing the resources to support their social-emotional well-being,” Fontana Unified Interim Superintendent Juan López said. “We are thrilled to see many of our schools celebrated for their success in fostering positivity and student engagement.”

The eight platinum-award schools are joined by gold PBIS Implementation Award recipients Randall Pepper, Sierra Lakes, and West Randall Elementary Schools, as well as Southridge Tech Middle School; silver PBIS Implementation Award recipients Almond, Live Oak, Mango, Maple, Oleander, Poplar, and Virginia Primrose Elementary Schools, in addition to Almeria and Fontana Middle Schools, and Citrus, Birch, and Jurupa Hills High Schools; and bronze PBIS Implementation Award recipients A.B. Miller High School and Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy.

PBIS is an evidence-based, three-tiered framework that aims to create a positive school setting through strategies that define, teach, and support appropriate student behaviors. Tier 1 includes the entire student body, who are encouraged to display good behavior and serve as role models. Tier 2 is a select group of students, generally, 10 to 20% of the student body, who require daily check-ins and are placed in social skills groups. Tier 3 is a targeted group of 3 to 5% of students with high-risk behaviors who may require daily interventions.

Each tier is overseen by PBIS school site teams, who closely monitor students’ behavior, attendance, and academic performance, taking steps to provide additional support in each area as needed. Fontana Unified schools are also supported by Climate and Culture Specialists who help each site apply strategies to best suit their needs.

“Our success can be attributed 100% to teamwork,” Truman Middle School Principal Dr. Kim Hall said. “It’s all about Truman staff supporting each other and following through. We have a plan for every student in the second and third tiers. Our teams go above and beyond every day, even going as far as bringing items like old jewelry and stuffed animals from home to stock our PBIS store.”

Truman students earn points for displaying good and positive behavior. When they accumulate enough points, they are welcome to visit the school’s PBIS store, where they can redeem their points for gifts, including school supplies, school merchandise, toys, collectibles, and knick-knacks. Truman teachers also have individual PBIS menus, with rewards such as hallway passes, positive phone calls home, and even an option for students to have a friend sit next to them in class.

The 26 schools are being recognized at the annual California PBIS Coalition Conference, held Oct. 5 to 7 in Sacramento.