The Parkland School District is expanding its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program across all grade levels as part of an effort to create consistent expectations for students, strengthen bullying-prevention efforts and improve school climate, administrators told school directors during an Oct. 20 workshop meeting.

The initiative, known as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, or PBIS, is part of the district’s effort to create consistent student-support practices from kindergarten through high school while strengthening bullying-prevention efforts.

During the workshop session, Dr. Matthew Carlson, the district’s director of student services, said the district is working to unify and expand PBIS across all grade levels by teaching behavioral expectations and providing additional support for students who need it.

Administrators said the framework provides schoolwide behavioral instruction while offering additional interventions for students who need more support.

“We know businesses are looking for employees that have strong interpersonal skills,” Carlson said. “One of the things that’s ranked very high is the ability to work as part of a team, and PBIS teaches them skills that will allow them to work as part of a team.”

District administrators said PBIS has been in place in Parkland elementary schools since 2010. Staff members review behavioral data and work with students and families when additional support is needed.

“The more adults that are saying the same thing, usually we see quicker results,” an elementary administrator told the board.

At the middle school level, administrators recently redesigned the program to create greater consistency between Orefield Middle School and Springhouse Middle School.

The schools now operate under a framework known as PAWS, which stands for Practicing Respect, Acting Responsibly, Working Together and Staying Safe.

Monica Ouly-Uhl, principal of Orefield Middle School, said students are taught behavioral expectations through lessons delivered at the start of the school year and reinforced throughout the year.

Ouly-Uhl said bullying-prevention efforts are closely tied to the district’s behavioral framework.

“We wanted to focus on the positive,” she said. “If you’re being kind and you’re being nice to each other, you’re not bullying one another.”

As part of that effort, Orefield students participate in annual kindness projects. One recent project raised $645 for the Eastern Pennsylvania Down syndrome Center, administrators said.

Middle schools also maintain anonymous reporting systems that allow students to report bullying concerns and other issues electronically.

At Parkland High School, administrators are working to bring existing student-support programs under the same PBIS framework used throughout the district.

Nathan Davidson, principal of Parkland High School, said many of the building blocks are already in place, including academic supports, attendance interventions and student assistance programs.

“This is certainly to create that K-12 continuum,” Davidson said.

The high school also uses incentives and recognition programs to encourage positive behavior. Davidson said one of the most popular rewards has been providing students additional opportunities to spend time outdoors during the school day.

Carlson said the district’s goal is to ensure students encounter consistent expectations and supports regardless of which Parkland school they attend while helping them develop skills that will benefit them long after graduation.

“It’s setting them up not only for success in school,” Carlson said, “but success in life.”