Photo Provided Buckeye North Elementary received a gold award for its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, which was given to less than 1 percent of the state. Pictured are Board-Certified Behavior Analyst Kristen Robinson of Kendall Behavioral Solutions who worked with the school, and North Elementary Principal Susan Nolan.

BRILLIANT — Buckeye North Elementary School is earning raves after gaining a gold award for its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) programming.

The school was among 1% of sites selected for the distinction through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW), which lauds schools that work to support and bolster good behaviors in students. North Principal Susan Nolan said officials made an application and the school was selected for meeting criteria which aligned with state standards.

“I’m thrilled because I know the hard work people put into it, and they deserve to be recognized,” Nolan said, adding that the programs have been a great benefit to her estimated 250 pupils in grades PreK-5.

The application was submitted by Kristen Robinson, a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) through Kendall Behavioral Solutions which was contracted with Buckeye Local Schools. Robinson said State Support Team Region 12 (SST-12) representatives provided information to assist her during the process.

“She was part of our PBIS team at the time,” Nolan said. “[The state] looks at programs you run and how you reward the kids and enforce positive behaviors. There is a lot of data involved.”

Robinson had served as a BCBA at Buckeye North for four years and was involved in establishing the PBIS program, parent training sessions and district-wide behavior plans and protocols.

“I helped make sure the standards aligned and helped them accomplish their goal. You have to have functional behavior assessments (FBA’s) and behavior plans meet state standards, and the reports met all of the criteria,” Robinson added. “Less than 1 percent of schools got the gold award. It’s fantastic and it’s a boost to everyone’s confidence for the quality of behavioral programs. This proves that what they are doing is working and they are providing quality, meaningful supports.”

Meanwhile, Nolan said North provides a series of incentive and rewards programs, including the PAW-some chart where kids caught doing good things can choose among a variety of rewards from sitting at the teacher’s desk to lunching with several friends in a separate room while enjoying games.

“Students earn tickets for good behavior and on Fridays we pick students from each class. There are 27 different awards and our most popular is the Lunch Bunch with three or four friends,” she said, also citing nine-week rewards where kids are treated to scheduled activities such as movies, hot chocolate and cookies, and extra time outdoors.

Superintendent Coy Sudvary praised the school for its diligence and success in gaining gold.

“The district is very proud of the efforts from the staff and students of Buckeye North Elementary to earn the gold status for PBIS,” Sudvary concluded. “They work very hard to ensure they support the students with positive behavioral interventions and supports.”