Positive Behavior Support Network

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The PA Positive Behavior Support Network has given Early Learning Connections official recognition for Butler’s participation in the Program Wide Positive Behavior Support System for the 2020-21 Program Year. 

This recognition reflects our commitment to implement a program-wide approach, the Pyramid Model, to ensure that all teachers and staff use effective teaching practices that promote all children's social and emotional competence and provide more individualized interventions to children who need additional instruction behavioral support. Our program-wide approach is guided by a leadership team that uses data for decision-making, provides training and support to teachers, and values the importance of fostering partnerships with families. Program-wide implementation might also be called Program-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PW-PBIS)

We have established the following program-wide expectations for all children and adults:

Be Safe
Be Kind
Be Respectful

All staff members teach children about these expectations and link classroom rules to these core values. The expectations can also be taught at home and connected to the rules that you might have for your child at home and in the community. We find that when we are all on the same page with our expectations, children are more able to understand and meet those expectations.

Our staff uses positive methods of child guidance including natural and logical consequences, redirection, the anticipation of and prevention of potential problems, and the encouragement of cooperative behavior. Staff members are prohibited from using threatening, frightening, or shame-based disciplinary techniques. Staff receive training in developmentally appropriate child guidance procedures and are monitored on their implementation of those practices.

If children have behavior challenges that are of concern, we will contact the family so we can work together to develop and implement a plan for teaching the child social and emotional skills to reduce the behavior challenges. If children engage in behavior that is dangerous or might be physically harmful, we will seek to conference with the family as a team to develop an effective approach to support the child. For some children, an evaluation, consultation with a professional inside or outside the program, or additional services might be needed to ensure the child can be successfully supported in the program.

We also encourage families to ask us their questions about appropriate child guidance techniques and seek our assistance if they have concerns about their child’s social, emotional, or behavioral development. In addition, all families are invited and encouraged to attend Positive Solutions for Families, a training series that provides information for families on how to promote children’s social and emotional skills, understand their problem behavior, and use positive approaches to help children learn appropriate behavior.