Mt Horeb Elementary HAWKS Behavior Program

Debbi FinchumProfessional School Counselor

Mental Health in Schools

• Nearly 5 million children in the U.S. have some type of serious mental illness (one that significantly interferes with daily life). In any given year, 20% of American children will be diagnosed with a mental illness. http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-illness-children

Types of Disorders found in Children

• ADHD• ADD• Depression• Disruptive

Behavior Disorders-CD, ODD

• Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Eating Disorders• Elimination

Disorders• Bipolar• PTSD• Schizophrenia• Learning and

Communication Disorders

Does Mental Health in Children Matter?

• West Paducah, KY-1997• Fayetteville, TN-1998• Littleton, CO-1999• Jacksboro, TN-2005• Virginia Tech, VA-2007• Central High School, Knoxville, TN-2008• Newtown, CT-2012

What Does All This Mean?• “According to the World Health Organization

(2004) as many as one in five children have social, emotional, and behavioral needs for support, and if they receive any services, they receive them in school.”

• “Approximately 14% of young children have both academic and behavior issues.” Early behavior problems predict risk for later academic problems.”

• “Regardless of the reasons behind a child’s risk for failure, research has shown there is a window for prevention of social behavior and early academic problems.”

• Academic and Behavior Supports for At-Risk Students

Response to Intervention

• “Tiered prevention approaches are designed to support all students’ academic achievement and/or social behavior success in an intentional, systematic, and data-driven manner that often includes changing the way in which schools operate.”

Elements of a RTI Include:

• Teaching a strong core curriculum with “fidelity”• Providing targeted interventions for the 15% of

students who need more help• Individualizing instruction for 5% of students who

are really struggling• Using evidence-based interventions• Documenting student progress for objective

decision making

The Response To Intervention Tiers

Behavior RtI

Before Tier 1

• ADMINISTRATOR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!• Buy-In: 80% of staff needs to be on board ;)• Team-Driven Process• Evidence Based Curriculum, Instruction, and

Practice• Data-Based Decision Making• Family Involvement• A System of School wide Screening/Progress

Monitoring• Frequent communication

Tier 1: Teaching a Strong Core Curriculum with “Fidelity”

• Establishing policies, procedures and incentive systems in the class setting.

• Establish Behavior Expectations School Wide Behavior Forms\Mt Horeb Elementary Positive Behavior Supports Matrix Tier 1.docx

• Behavior Management Plan-Behavior Forms\Positive Behavior Support Information\Mt Horeb Behavior Management Plan.docx

• Behavior Log Documentation-3 ring Binder-Behavior Forms\BehaviorTrackingForm1-Teachers.pdf

• http://www.totalbehaviormanagement.com/additionalresources/

• School Wide Classroom Guidance Lessons

Tier 2:-Student Referrals

• Teacher nomination based on a perception of the need for more support (behavior log information) Behavior Forms\Mt Horeb Elementary School-General Student At Risk Nomination.docx

• Increased classroom behavior problems (behavior log information), student data pertaining to office referrals or bus referrals

• An existing behavior plan in place• Administrator recommendation

Tier 2-Data Based Decision Making

• Team meets to discuss placement into Tier 2, team includes parents, teacher, administrator, special education teacher, counselor, and school psychologist

• Decision made to place student• Parent Meeting- explain HAWK program and what

child and parents can expect-Behavior Forms\Positive Behavior Support Information\HAWK parent packet and contract info.docx

• Behavior Screening: School Social Behavior Scales-Baseline screening-screener by Dr. Ken Merrell (pioneer in behavior interventions for children)

Tier 2-Intervention

• Brief behavior assessment• Check In-Check Out Program (CICO)- Mt Horeb

Help A Winning Kid (HAWK) program• Behavior Contract signed by student, parents,

administrator, teacher, and me!• Behavior support plan written by team

Behavior Forms\Mt Horeb Elementary School-Tier 2 support plan.docx

• Behavior report card written using intervention.org http://www.interventioncentral.org/

CICO

• Student checks in with me every morning from 7:45-8:10 and picks up a daily behavior report and returns the previous days report.

• Student returns for check out from 2:20-2:40-daily points are totaled to see if goal was reached.

• Students receive a small token-candy, pencil, stickers, pens, erasers, or extra play time if goal is met. (Decided in advance)

• Students show their report cards to principal for her input.

CICOCheck-N-Connect Program Weekly Data Sheet

Student_____________________________________Start Date_____________________CNC Contact______________________________Week of _________________________________Date Check In Check Out # of points possible

# of points earned% of points earned

Goal Met

M Y N Y N / Y N

T Y N Y N / Y N

W Y N Y N / Y N

T Y N Y N / Y N

F Y N Y N / Y N

Total

Progress Monitoring

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4/9-Tue

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4/25-T

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Behavior Chart

Earned PointsLinear (Earned Points)Possible PointsAxis Title

Small Group Counseling

• K-2 Strong Start http://strongkids.uoregon.edu/• Grades 3-5 Strong Kids

• SEARS Assessment is available online for pre and post group assessment.

• Individual Counseling or referrals as needed.• Academic and Behavior Supports for At-Risk

Students, check out all intervention ideas

Tier 3

• Progress Monitoring Reports for Tier 2 students are shown to school psychologist every 4 weeks and interventions are discussed.

• After 9 weeks of progress monitoring, team meeting to discuss progress. Special Education teacher involved.

• Decision made to stay in Tier 2 or move to Tier 3• BASC-2 if move to Tier 3.• Functional Behavior Assessment Completed• More intense interventions along with special

education teacher.• Continue Progress Monitoring for 6 more weeks.

After Tier 3

• Team meeting with parents again to discuss progress monitoring charts.

• Referral to Special Education via School Psychologist

• Full comprehensive special education evaluation

Principal Remarks

• “I think this program has aided our students in learning self-control and self-discipline. If students learn to self monitor, that skill will follow them for the rest of their lives. We are modifying their behavior. I definitely think its is worth the time. I think it cuts down on classroom interruptions and increases learning time. Probably my only concern is the amount of time it takes for you to monitor the check in and out time. However, I think that your positive attitude and consistency is part of the reason it works so well ;)” Sandra Austin-Principal MHES………

Teacher Remarks:

• “My main feedback on the program is that it offers the classroom teacher a sense of support in dealing with a difficult student. Many times when you are dealing with a student it can feel like it is your own fault for not dealing with him/her correctly. I like that I can ask to change behaviors that need to be focused on whenever one becomes more obvious. I am hopeful that it has been positive in my student’s life and I know that it has been helpful in my own dealings with the child.” 1st Grade Teacher, MHES

Student Remarks:

• “Welcome to our group! So glad you came to be a part of us!”

• Student who made her goal for the 1st time- I asked her what made today different? “ Because today somebody really cares about me and what I do and don’t do.”

• “Mrs. Debbi really doesn’t like it when you whine sooooo take a big breath and blow it out your nose really fast!”

• “Mrs. Debbi I made my goal today!!! Can I see your happy dance!”

Time

• Using EZ Analyze I tracked my time with the Tier 2 Process we like to call our HAWK program

• Check In-36.4 hours• Check Out- 38.4 hours• Small Group-18.7 hours• Completing behavior report cards-6.2 hours• Making copies-3.2 hours• Parent, Team, Psychologist Meeting-35.5 hours• Total-138.4 hours

My Personal Information

• dfinchum@k12tn.net• Please email me if you want copies or want to ask

a question.• Feel free to change things around to make it

personal to you and your school

• Thank you so much for your time and attention!! btw- You all Rock!!!!!!!