PBIS Universal Team Retreats

Improving school climate and safety is important for creating a positive learning environment for all students. Schools that implement a system of effective behavioral and academic interventions and practices have better educational outcomes and staff satisfaction. Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based framework designed to change the school environment to become less reactive, address disciplinary issues, provide training for school staff in best practices, and stress the use of data for decision-making.

A PBIS systems change model consists of three levels—Tier 1 (Universal), Tier 2 (Behavioral Support), and Tier 3 (Intensive)—each specifically designed to prevent disruption and address the behavioral support needs of students at risk of school failure. Universal PBIS Teams develop the systems, structures, and practices for the delivery of schoolwide social supports for all students.

March Retreat Descriptions

Option 1: Introduction to PBIS
Instructor: Heidi Cloutier, MSW

This session will offer an option for individuals or groups to explore the basic elements and steps for the development of a PBIS framework in schools, system, and practices. Attendees will learn about the rationale, approach, and steps to getting started implementing PBIS supports in their classrooms and schools, including an overview of the key features of PBIS, values and principles of positive behavior support, data-based decision-making and shared leadership through team process. Exemplar case examples and team readiness activities will be included. This is an ideal session for teams or individuals from schools that are exploring whether to implement PBIS.

Option 2: Getting Ready to Improve PBIS Implementation
Facilitated by JoAnne Malloy, Ph.D.

Established Universal PBIS teams can use the day as a team retreat to review their progress and plan for
PBIS implementation during the 2015–16 school year. Participants will have an opportunity to learn from schools that have had success with particularly difficult implementation issues. Registrants are encouraged to email areas to work on before the session. This session is ideal for teams that have been implementing PBIS for at least this school year, or for teams that want to revitalize their PBIS efforts.

About PBIS

PBIS is a systemic, data-driven behavioral support and improvement systems change model that consists of three levels—Tier 1 (Universal), Tier 2 (Behavioral Support), and Tier 3 (Intensive)—each specifically designed to prevent disruption and address the behavioral support needs of students at risk of school failure: Behavioral Support PBIS Teams are designed to effectively and efficiently match and monitor students who are not responding to school wide supports, increasing the level of support through function-based group interventions and simple behavior support plans.

Who Should Attend

These retreats are for Universal Teams that are implementing PBIS or groups from schools that are exploring PBIS implementation. Participants will have the option of attending an introduction to PBIS workshop, or a facilitated retreat for established teams.

$119 per session; $99 per person for groups of 3 or more

• includes continental breakfast, lunch, & materials

Heidi Cloutier, provides training, consultation, and technical assistance in the development and expansion of implementation of school-wide Multi-tiered Systems of Support, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Youth Leadership and RENEW, an intensive support intervention to help at risk youth engage in high school completion and post-secondary options. 

Heidi received her MSW from the University of New Hampshire, is a NH Leadership Graduate, and was endorsed by the University of Connecticut’s New England Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Training of Trainers Program. She has extensive experience working with youth and adults in transition planning, person centered planning, educational supports and community mental health. Heidi presents nationally on topics of transition planning, MTSS-B/ PBIS, Autism, RENEW and Coaching practices for sustainability and fidelity.

Heidi consults with various state education and Community mental health agencies and is nationally recognized for her presentations at conferences and exceptional skills in working with teams to solve challenging problems within school-wide improvement and reform efforts. She has co-authored training curriculum, the RENEW manual and several peer reviewed journal articles which have appeared in Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities and the Journal of Rehabilitation.

JoAnne M. Malloy is a Research Associate Professor at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Malloy received a Master’s Degree in Social Work Administration and Planning from the University of Tennessee in 1981 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Education from the University of New Hampshire in April 2011. She joined the staff of Institute on Disability (NH’s University Center for Excellence in Disability) in 1991 and has directed several state and federally-funded youth transition, employment, and dropout prevention projects with a focus on youth with emotional and behavioral disorders and implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and School Mental Health. In 1996, she developed a transition and career development planning model for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders, known as RENEW (Resilience, Empowerment, and Natural Supports for Education and Work). RENEW has since been replicated in educational, mental health and juvenile detention settings in New Hampshire and 6 other states, producing positive educational, vocational, and behavioral health outcomes. Dr. Malloy has published numerous articles and book chapters on employment and transition for youth with emotional disorders and adults with mental illness, and teaches at the undergraduate and graduate level at the University of New Hampshire.