Shimek Elementary showcases PBIS 'Shark School' rewards program at board meeting

At the start of the March 24 board meeting, Shimek School principal Pazaric and staff presented the elementary school's PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program, showing how a token economy and schoolwide assemblies help reinforce expectations for respectful, responsible and resilient behavior.

The program uses individual "gold bars" (tokens) teachers award to students who demonstrate the schools three Rs; those tokens can be spent at a classroom or schoolwide "shark shop." Classrooms earn collective "gold coins" toward class rewards, and teachers submit short "shark sightings" certificates to recognize students publicly at assemblies. Staff described monthly "Shark School" cross-grade activities, student voting on monthly themes (for example, Black History Month), and the PTOs support for building-level rewards.

Students Bowen and Juniper described feeling proud when called up at assemblies and said the in-class and schoolwide rewards make them feel seen and connected. Staff said the combination of tokens, assemblies and cross-age activities has improved positive interactions among students and strengthened relationships across grades.

The board thanked Shimeks staff and students for the presentation and noted the program as a positive example of school culture work.