Valley students earn prizes and perks for model behavior

HUBBARD — In some Mahoning Valley schools, good behavior leads to fun rewards.

At Hubbard Elementary School, students with good behavior can earn “Excellent Eagle” tickets, which can be used to redeem prizes. Shawn Marcello, the school’s principal, randomly selects several tickets on Fridays, and those students get to choose small prizes.

Hubbard Excellent Eagle banners are hung throughout the school, teaching students positive behavior traits.

These reward systems are part of Ohio’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Support educational initiative. PBIS programs were instituted through House Bill 318 in 2018, which encourages schools to develop frameworks for programs that support social and emotional learning, and allows schools to apply for grants to fund these programs if needed.

At Hubbard, if elementary students who are sent to the principal’s office don’t misbehave for two days, they then get the chance to play a putting game with Marcello in his office.

Fourth-grader Dominic Mshar said he has gotten two tickets so far and he has noticed he and his friends help others with class work more since the program started.

Marcello said the PBIS program just started, but he’s already seeing fewer kids coming to his office for bad behavior. He said there are still consequences for misbehavior, but the school is emphasizing positive reinforcement.

“Instead of just giving negative responses, you can teach them using positive responses for positive behaviors,” he said.

The program also gives recognition to the students who always are on their best behavior, Marcello said: “They do what they are supposed to every day, so this is a way for those kids to earn rewards.”

The school is devising other rewards, such as extra recess time or allowing students to watch movies in the auditorium.

In Liberty, the school district has had PAWSS, a therapy dog, for almost two years. PAWSS stands for Problem solver, Always respectful, Willing learner, Show Responsibility, Safety.

Allowing students to spend time with the dog at lunch and recess is part of the district’s PBIS program.

Last year, school officials also created PAWSS-Mart for children grades kindergarten through sixth.

“Kids can earn PAWSS cash,” said Kristie Sallee, the middle school guidance counselor and the dog’s owner. “If they earn 10 PAWSS cash, they can come down to the store and purchase one item.”

Some of the students’ favorite prizes are bracelets and slime.

The prizes are displayed in a trophy case to get students excited about being awarded PAWSS cash for good behavior.

The students can turn in their “cash” to a raffle that offers bigger prizes, such as scooters.

“I think it’s a great motivator for them,” Sallee said. “They want to make the right choices so they can earn PAWSS cash ... it benefits them in life to learn if you make good choices, you will reap benefits.”

One student, for example, stayed after class to help push in chairs and tidy the room, and received PAWSS cash.

In Warren, the school district teaches students good behavior with the acronym WARREN: Work Ethic, Accountability, Responsibility, Respect, Effective Behavior and No Excuses.

Wendy Hartzell, Warren schools associate superintendent, said short- and long-term goals are set for students and they earn class celebrations and participate in weekly drawings as a reward.

Howland also has PBIS programs in place, and Mathews and Niles school districts are developing programs, according to Kate Keller, Trumbull County Education Services’ public relations and community coordinator.