School Wide-Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports in North
Slope Borough School District Schools
During the 2012-2013 school year North Slope Borough School District (NSBSD)
introduced an evidence-based program called School-wide Positive Behavioral
Interventions & Supports (SW-PBIS) at Fred Ipalook Elementary School. As per the
Board’s strategic plan, one school has been added every year: Hopson Middle School,
Tikigaq School, Meade River School, and Kali School. The Board’s goal to have PBIS in
all our schools will be met by continuing to introduce one school per year. To learn more
about SW-PBIS go to www.pbis.org.
SW-PBIS in NSBSD focuses on teaching and encouraging appropriate behavior in all
areas of the school. It provides structured lessons that focus on each building’s
“expectations” based on their individual school-wide matrix. For example, students who
follow the “expectations” act appropriately, develop positive relationships with others,
maximize their learning opportunities, maximize learning time, and support the learning
opportunities of their teachers and classmates.
SW-PBIS actively teaches students to achieve their academic and career potential by
teaching social emotional skills that promote learning and positive relationships. It
includes strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate behavior. The goal
is to provide the most effective learning community possible with the best outcomes for
all students. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining school-wide, classroom, and
individual systems of support. Unlike how schools have typically responded in the past
– discipline in response to student misbehavior – PBIS teaches behavioral expectations
and rewards students for following them. The goal is to establish a climate in which
appropriate behavior is the norm.
The SW-PBIS system includes three
tiers or intervention levels: Universal
(Tier 1 school-wide), Secondary (Tier 2
classroom/small group), and Tertiary
(Tier 3 individual) are designed to
teach, improve, and maintain student’s
appropriate social emotional behaviors
(personal, health, social, family, work,
recreation) thru environmental
interventions. This is accomplished by:


Creating a consistent and
predictable environment for staff,
students, and family.
Establishing a common focus and
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
common language among school staff, family, community, and students.
Removing the attention from the unwanted behaviors and increase the attention and
motivation for the wanted behaviors that support learning.
This school-wide systematic approach is designed to promote positive, proactive, and
preventative school climates thru the development of predictable, sustainable and consistent
interventions. In other words, everyone knows the rules, and everyone does things the same.
These consistent environments are created through structured on-going cultural respect, staff
development, student input, family support, and external supports. The external supports are
focused on maintaining the evidence-based criteria, creating a link between research-validated
practices and the development of grass root multi-tiered interventions, and creating a
sustainable SW-PBIS system through SW-PBIS assessments.
Ipalook SchoolHopson Middle School- Wolf Paw
Tikigaq School—Harpooner Honors
Kali School---Qavvik Pride
Meade River School-------Eagle Pride
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