Hawthorne Finishes School Year with Rewards

By Kim Nissen, Hawthorne Social Worker

Hawthorne Elementary School continues to build upon PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), which is a multi-tiered system of supports aimed at enhancing social, emotional, behavioral and academic success in all students. The PBIS framework focuses on teaching students what is expected across settings using three general guidelines – Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible. Students at Hawthorne Elementary are taught Expectations for a variety of settings/circumstances including the Classroom, Lunchroom, Playground, Bathroom, Hallways, using the bus, attending assemblies, etc. Pre-teaching expectations, recognizing compliance and re-teaching for reminders or adjustments in behavior have helped our students maintain a high level of school success.

Recognition for performing expectations at Hawthorne School occurs on a daily basis and is delivered not just through verbal feedback, but from Hawk Bucks as well. Hawk Bucks are tickets given to students by staff observing positive Safe, Respectful and Responsible behaviors. Students are then able to deposit their Hawk Buck into a reward tube that offers one of three options for the month.

At the end of each month, Principal Nikki Tammaru announces the tube with the largest amount of Hawk Bucks in them. The winning tube then becomes an all-school reward. Some popular rewards received this year included Crazy Hair Day, Game Day, Homework Pass and Dance in the Halls opportunities.

We have found that many students respond with positive decision-making when expectations are clearly defined. For students requiring additional intervention, the school uses a “minor form” to inform parents of behaviors that require re-teaching, or Office Discipline Referrals, which results in a conference between the student and principal. Hawthorne School recognizes the importance of partnering with families to promote success in our students.

PBIS is nicely woven into Character Counts and social-emotional learning. Students, families and staff at Hawthorne School take pride in the many fundraising and awareness events which occur throughout the year. The compassion and energy spent in helping others has been extremely rewarding. Throughout the 2014-2015 school year Hawthorne has collected items and funds for cancer, held community food-coat-gift drives, gone trick or treating for UNICEF, given attention to autism awareness, as well as participating in Jump Rope for Heart, Soles for Africa and Free Rice. Students also raised money for Feed My Starving Children, providing 6,936 lifesaving meals, enough to feed 19 children for an entire year.

We also continue to show interest and devotion to our world through composting and recycling. Teaching how it is Cool to be Kind, we wrote letters to our veterans thanking them for their service. The Elmhurst community has set high expectations for giving back…and we do a remarkable job of it!

Hawthorne Elementary recently applied for GOLD STATUS with the PBIS network. We are grateful to our teachers, students and families in Elmhurst who continue to support Safe, Respectful and Responsible behaviors. Together, we are teaching our children important life skills that will undoubtedly contribute to their overall success academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally.

Photos courtesy of Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205.
Photo 1: Dancing in the halls
Photo 2: Crazy hair day
Photo 3: Hawk Buck tubes