Craig R-III School

August's Newsletter

🌟 Welcome Back! Starting the Year Strong with PBIS

Building a School Where Everyone Belongs, Everyone Matters, and Everyone Can Succeed

A new school year brings a fresh start, new friendships, new goals, and new opportunities to grow. As we welcome students back, our PBIS focus is simple: create a positive, predictable, and supportive environment where every student knows what is expected and feels valued.

PBIS isn't just a program—it is a way we intentionally build the culture of our school.

🪺 Welcome Back to the Nest!

As we begin another year of PBIS, we are excited to continue building on the positive culture we have created together. Our Nest is more than a place—it represents our school community and the idea that every student has a place where they are supported, encouraged, and challenged to be their best.

This year, we will continue recognizing students for making positive choices, demonstrating our school expectations, helping others, and taking responsibility for their actions.

Start With the Expectations

The beginning of the year is the perfect time to explicitly teach and practice what our expectations look like in every area of the school.

Students should know:

What our expectations look like
What our expectations sound like
What our expectations feel like
Why our expectations matter
How to make positive choices even when adults aren't watching

Teach it. Practice it. Reinforce it. Repeat it.

The more consistently we teach expectations, the more confident students become in meeting them.

⭐ Catch Students Doing Things Right!

One of the most important parts of PBIS is recognizing positive behavior.

Look for opportunities to acknowledge students when they:

Show responsibility
Demonstrate courage
Work purposefully
Help a classmate
Make a good decision
Solve a problem independently
Show kindness or respect
Follow expectations without being reminded
Encourage others
Keep trying when something is difficult

A simple "I noticed..." can make a big difference:

"I noticed that you helped your classmate without being asked. That's exactly what being a responsible member of our school community looks like!"

Specific praise helps students understand exactly what they did well and encourages them to continue making positive choices.

🎯 PBIS Is About More Than Rewards

While recognition and incentives are an important part of PBIS, the ultimate goal is much bigger.

We want students to develop the skills they need to become:

Responsible • Respectful • Courageous • Independent • Problem-Solving • Purposeful

Our goal is for students to eventually make positive choices because they understand why those choices matter, not simply because they are hoping to receive a reward.

🧠 Teach Behavior Like We Teach Academics

We wouldn't expect students to know how to solve a difficult math problem without teaching, modeling, and practicing it.

Behavior works the same way.

At the beginning of the year, students need opportunities to see, hear, practice, and receive feedback on our expectations.

Don't assume students know what "be respectful" or "be responsible" means in every setting.

Teach them what it looks like:

🏫 In the classroom 🚌 On the bus 🍎 In the cafeteria

🚻 In the restroom 🏀 On the playground 🎭 In assemblies 🚶 In the hallways

Consistency across settings is what makes PBIS effective.

💬 Student Voice Matters

This year, we want students to continue being an important part of our PBIS program.

Students should have opportunities to share:

What is working
What motivates them
What they would like to see in the Nest
Ideas for PBIS activities
Ways we can improve our school culture

When students have a voice in PBIS, they become more invested in creating the positive school environment we all want.

🏠 PBIS Starts at School—but It Doesn't Stop There

Families can reinforce the same ideas at home by recognizing positive choices and encouraging students to take ownership of their responsibilities.

Try asking:

"What was one positive choice you made today?"

"How did you show responsibility?"

"Did you help someone today?"

"What is something you are proud of?"

These simple conversations help students connect the skills they practice at school to everyday life.

🌱 A Fresh Start for Everyone

The beginning of the school year is an opportunity for students—and adults—to start fresh.

There will be mistakes. There will be challenging days. There will be moments when students need reminders and redirection.

That's okay.

PBIS reminds us that behavior is something we can teach, practice, and improve.

Let's focus on progress rather than perfection and make sure every student knows:

You belong here. You are valued. You are capable. You can make a difference.

🪺 Let's Make This Our Best Year Yet!

As we begin the school year, let's work together to create a school culture where positive behavior is noticed, student voices are heard, expectations are clear, and every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Welcome back to the Nest!

Here's to a year filled with growth, courage, responsibility, purpose, and plenty of positive choices! 🌟

Upcoming Dates

8/24 - First Day of School
9/07 - Labor Day, No School
9/28 - PD Day, No School
10/23 - End of Quarter 1

PTO

🤝 Parents Wanted! Join Our PBIS Team

A strong PBIS program doesn't happen at school alone—it takes the support of our entire school community! This year, we are excited to continue building opportunities for families to be involved in supporting positive behavior, celebrating students, and strengthening our school culture.

🌟 We Are Still Looking for Parents!

Our PBIS team is still looking for parents who would like to be involved through PTO and/or the Booster Club. You do not have to be a PBIS expert or commit to every event. We are simply looking for parents who are willing to share their time, ideas, and talents to help make PBIS successful.

Parents may help with:

🎉 Planning and supporting PBIS celebrations
🪺 Helping with the Nest and student incentives
🎁 Organizing or collecting donations for rewards
📣 Supporting PBIS events and assemblies
💡 Sharing ideas for new incentives and activities
👏 Helping recognize and celebrate student success
🤝 Volunteering at special PBIS events
🏫 Helping strengthen the connection between families and our school

Why Parent Involvement Matters

When families, teachers, staff, and students work together, PBIS becomes more than something students experience during the school day. It becomes part of the culture of our entire school community.

Your involvement can make a difference!

Whether you can volunteer regularly, help with an occasional event, donate supplies or rewards, or simply share an idea, we would love to have you join us.

📢 Want to Be Part of the Team?

We are still looking for parents to join our PTO/Booster Club PBIS efforts!

If you are interested in helping, volunteering, or learning more, please reach out to the school or Suzann Copeland, Destiny Wilmes, or Gretchen Haer!

Let's work together to make this a positive, rewarding, and successful year for every student! 🪺💙

District

🌟 Welcome Back, District!

Starting the School Year Strong with PBIS

Welcome back to another exciting school year! As students and staff return to our buildings, we are excited to continue building a positive, supportive, and welcoming school culture through PBIS.

A new school year gives everyone a fresh opportunity to set goals, build relationships, and make positive choices. PBIS helps us create an environment where expectations are clear, positive behavior is recognized, and every student has the opportunity to feel successful.

🪺 Welcome Back to the Nest!

As we begin the year, we encourage everyone to remember that PBIS is a team effort. Teachers, staff, students, families, and our community all play an important role in creating the culture of our district.

This year, we will continue to focus on:

⭐ Teaching and reinforcing positive expectations
💬 Building strong relationships with students
👏 Recognizing students for positive choices
🧠 Teaching students the skills they need to be successful
🤝 Encouraging teamwork and respect
🎯 Helping students take ownership of their behavior
🪺 Creating a school environment where everyone belongs

Start Strong. Stay Consistent. Celebrate Success.

The beginning of the year is the perfect time to teach, model, practice, and reinforce our expectations.

We know that students are more successful when they understand not only what is expected, but why those expectations matter. Throughout the year, we will continue providing opportunities for students to practice positive behaviors and receive meaningful recognition when they demonstrate them.

🌱 Every Student Deserves a Fresh Start

PBIS reminds us that behavior is something that can be taught, practiced, and improved.

As educators and staff, we have an opportunity to make a difference by noticing the positive, providing encouragement, and helping students learn from mistakes.

Let's make it a priority this year to catch students doing something right and celebrate their growth along the way.

💙 One District. One Team. One Positive Culture.

Our PBIS program is strongest when we work together. Whether you are a classroom teacher, bus driver, cafeteria staff member, administrator, coach, secretary, custodian, parent, or community member, you have a role in creating a positive experience for our students.

Let's begin this school year with a shared commitment to:

Teach it. Model it. Practice it. Recognize it. Celebrate it.

🪺 Welcome Back!

Here's to a new year filled with growth, responsibility, courage, purpose, kindness, and positive choices.

Welcome back to the Nest—we're glad you're here! 🌟

School

🏫 Welcome Back, School!

Starting Strong with PBIS

A new school year means a fresh start, new opportunities, and another chance to build a positive school community. As we welcome our students and staff back, we are excited to continue making PBIS a part of the everyday culture of our school.

PBIS is about more than rewards. It is about creating a school where students know what is expected, feel supported when they make mistakes, and are recognized for making positive choices.

🌟 Start the Year by Building Relationships

One of the most important things we can do at the beginning of the year is build strong relationships with our students.

Take time to learn their names, discover their interests, celebrate their strengths, and let them know that they are an important part of our school community.

A positive relationship can be the foundation for positive behavior and academic success.

🧠 Teach Expectations—Don't Just Tell Them

At the beginning of the year, we will spend time explicitly teaching and practicing our school-wide expectations.

Students need to know what expectations look and sound like in:

Classrooms
Hallways
Cafeteria
Restrooms
Playground
Bus
Assemblies
Arrival and dismissal
School activities

We can't expect students to know what we haven't taught them.

Model the behavior, practice it with students, provide feedback, and recognize them when they get it right.

👏 Catch Students Doing Something Right!

Let's make a commitment this year to look for the positive.

Notice when students are:

⭐ Showing responsibility
⭐ Demonstrating courage
⭐ Working purposefully
⭐ Helping others
⭐ Making good choices
⭐ Showing respect
⭐ Solving problems independently
⭐ Persevering through challenges
⭐ Being a positive role model

Specific praise can go a long way:

"I noticed you..."

Tell students exactly what they did well and connect it to our PBIS expectations.

🪺 The Nest Is Back!

Our PBIS incentives and Nest activities will continue throughout the school year as a way to recognize and celebrate students who demonstrate positive behaviors and contribute to our school community.

We are excited to bring back familiar favorites while also looking for new ideas and opportunities to keep PBIS exciting and meaningful for our students.

💙 Every Student. Every Day.

This year, let's work together to create a school where students know:

I belong here. I am valued. I am capable. My choices matter. I can make a difference.

PBIS is everyone's responsibility, and every positive interaction helps shape the culture of our school.

🌱 Let's Start Strong!

As we begin this school year, let's teach expectations, build relationships, recognize positive choices, and celebrate growth.

Welcome back! Let's make this a year to remember! 🪺🌟