School presenter credits PBIS and incentives as attendance improves

An unidentified school staff member presented PBIS referral and attendance data to the RSU 40 meeting, showing what they described as a measurable improvement in attendance and describing classroom incentives and interventions.

The presenter displayed a PBIS triangle and said referrals and attendance data showed progress: "We had 73 of our students did not receive one for last year" and more green in the current-year table. The presenter said last year’s gap-in-season rate was 14.3% and that the current figure is about 6.1% with six students currently considered absent.

The staff member reported 14 students enrolled in special education and noted that the district’s special-education teacher is half-time and is also serving as a half-time interventionist. Nine students were identified as tier-3 and two of those nine were in the referral process for special education.

The presenter described strategies to reduce absenteeism, including classroom competitions (paw-print tracking), weekly recognition, certificates for attendance and small classroom rewards; they also noted plans for an academic night and a classroom tour for board members to see student work.

Board members responded positively to the interventions: one member recounted a child’s excitement over an attendance award and said the stuffed-animal reward encouraged attendance. The presenter invited board members to tour classrooms and review posted student work; the meeting adjourned at 05:33.