ELITE Public Schools will be environments of positive school culture where safety is maintained for every student and adult. To support creating a positive school culture, ELITE Public School implements an integrated intervention system consisting of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Restorative Justice (RJ), Trauma Informed Care (TIC), and Socio-­Emotional Learning (SEL).

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a prevention-­oriented framework based on evidence based practices that are implemented with high fidelity, and maximize academic and social behavior outcomes for all students. It is grounded in seven strength-based activities:

1. School-­wide Behavior Expectations emphasize targeted social skills instruction.

2. Positive school and classroom social cultures where teaching and learning are emphasized.

3. Challenging and engaging instructional practices that effectively maximize academic success for all students.

4. Continuous, positive, and active supervision and monitoring of student behavior and learning.

5. Frequent positive acknowledgements and reinforcement for student displays of academic and social behavior success.

6. Active involvement of all students and family, faculty, and community members.

7. Adults who model the same positive social behaviors and values expected of students.

Tiers of Escalation

• Tier I, all students and staff are taught directly and formally about how to behave in safe, respectful, and responsible ways across all school settings. The emphasis is on teaching and encouraging positive social skills and character traits. When implemented well, most students will benefit and be successful.

• Tier II, students whose behaviors do not respond to Tier I supports are provided additional preventive strategies that involved more targeted social skills instruction, increase adult monitoring and positive attention, specific and regular daily feedback on their behavioral progress, and additional academic supports, if necessary. It is in Tier II where Restorative Justice is practiced. Tier II promotes values and principles that use inclusive, collaborative approaches for being in community. The approach in Tier II is to act and respond in ways that are healing rather than alienating.

• Tier III, students whose behaviors do not respond to Tier I and II supports are provided intensive preventive/intervention strategies that involve high individualized academic and/or behavior intervention planning; more comprehensive, person-­centered and function-­based wraparound services; and school-­family-community mental health supports.

• Tier III students receive formalized supports such as trauma screening, and other assessments to determine the type of support the student needs. Students in the Warriors for Social Justice program are receiving daily Tier III support.

Restorative Justice

Restorative Practices are a framework for building community and for responding to challenging behavior through authentic dialogue, coming to understanding, and making things right. Restorative Practices can help set things right when the integrity of the community is challenged by harmful behaviors. When people come together for restorative interactions they sit in circles. Circles dialogue is a fundamental element of restorative dialogue. Classroom circles support the two main goals of restorative practices: building community; and responding to harms through dialogue that sets things right.

The first shift acknowledges that troublesome behavior is normal, and when students behave in troublesome ways they create opportunities to learn important social and emotional skills. What is important is not so much that they got into trouble in the first place, but what they learn along the way.

The second shift is a departure from the retributive model in which an authority, after taking testimony from the aggrieved party, decides guilt and assigns punishment. In restorative practices the authority figure acts more as a convener and facilitator. The initial investigation is concerned with identifying who was significantly affected by the incident

The third shift moves the locus of responsibility for well-­‐being of the community from the shoulders of the experts to the community itself. While counseling and similar strategies have their place and are often helpful by themselves, they are immeasurably strengthened when complemented by restorative practices that challenge those who are in the circle dialogue to share information with each other and to come to agreements as a group.

Trauma Informed Care

ELITE Public Schools will demonstrate the fundamentals of a trauma informed system by ensuring the following:

• Safety — is ensuring throughout our organization faculty, staff and students feel physically and psychological safe. The physical setting of schools and the interpersonal interactions promote a sense of safety.

• Trustworthiness and transparency — are a must within our organizational operations. Decision making is conducted with transparency and building and maintaining trust among all stakeholders within and out of our organization is paramount.

• Voice and Choice — aims to strengthen students' experiences and recognize that every person's experience is unique and requires an individualized approach.

• Collaboration — is true partnering between all stakeholders. There is recognition that healing happens in relationships and in meaningful decision-­making.

• Empowerment — throughout our organization and among faculty, staff and students, individuals' strengths are recognized, built on, and validated and new skills developed as necessary.

• Peer support — ­is integral to our organization. This type of support is understood as a key vehicle for building trust, establishing safety, and empowerment.

• Resilience and strength-based — a belief in resilience and in the ability of individuals, organizations, and communities to heal and promote recovery from trauma; builds on what students, staff and communities have to offer rather than responding to their perceived deficits.

• Inclusiveness and shared purpose — our organization recognizes that everyone has a role to play in a trauma-­informed approach.