What Is School Wide Positive Behaviour Support? (SWPBS)
The goal of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support at Williamstown High School is to create and maintain a positive and safe learning environment that enhances our school culture where we maximise individual academic and social growth.
What Does SWPBS Look Like At Williamstown High School?
- Clear set of behaviour expectations are developed around our key school values (as defined in our matrix).
- You can identify the behavioural expectations within 5 minutes of entering the school.
- Students are able to state the behavioural expectations.
- Students are recognised for positive behaviours.
- Positive expectations and behaviours are explicitly taught and encouraged.
- Data is collected and used for decision making.
- It is a team-based approach.
- Families are actively included.
Levels Of School Wide Support
To ensure that students at Williamstown High School receive what they need to be successful we use the continuum of support which is described below: 
Behaviour Expectation Matrix
The Behaviour Expectation Matrix translates Williamstown High School’s three key expectations into expected behaviours. The matrix clarifies what our behaviours should look, sound and feel like. Our expected behaviours are explicitly taught in every classrooms and consistently reinforced through out the school. Our matrix’s are displayed and positioned in many locations around the school and are referred to and discussed regularly with all students at Williamstown High School.
Positive Behaviour Expectations
Positive Behaviour Expectations in Learning Tasks
Explicitly Teaching Our Expected Behaviours
Why Do We Explicitly Teach Our Expected Behaviours?
Introducing, modeling and reinforcing positive social behaviour is an important step of a student’s educational experience. Explicitly teaching our behavioural expectations and acknowledging students for demonstrating them is key to our success.
- They are necessary skills for success in life.
- Many students arrive at school without these important skills.
- They are the basis for a positive and safe climate.
- Doing so increases opportunities to teach other skills.
When Do We Teach Our Expected Behaviours?
- At the beginning of school year.
- Often enough to achieve and maintain fluency.
- Before times when problem behaviours tend to increase.
- Ongoing throughout the year. (refresher lessons)
- At teachable moments.
How Do We Teach Social Behaviours?
Tell – Introduce the expected behaviours and discuss why it is important
Show – Demonstrate and model
Practice – Role play expected behaviours in the relevant contexts
Monitor – Pre correct, supervise and provide positive feedback
Reteach – Practice throughout the day
Where Do We Teach Our Expected Behaviours?
- In every classroom throughout the school.
- Everywhere in the school.
- It is Imbedded in other school activities.
Acknowledging, Reinforcing And Recognising Expected Behaviours
When students demonstrate school wide expectations, staff will note their success with positive reinforcement. This may include social, activity or tangible reinforcers. Two key components of our acknowledgement system are our “ Success Pass” and “Post Cards”.
Success Pass
How It Works:
- Teachers allocate a “Success Pass” to a student who has demonstrated positive actions and behaviours.
- The students post the “Success Pass” in the award’s box.
- The “Success Pass” award is presented fortnightly at each year level assembly.
- The recipient is drawn from the names in the box and have the opportunity to select an award from the menu.
- Each campus has its own method of celebrating the end of term success pass.
(We have been extremely fortunate to have the PFA fund our success pass initiative over the past 12 months. Williamstown High School has also had the generous support of a number of families who have donated various menu items. With this ongoing support, we can continue to expand and enhance our acknowledgement system.)
Examples Of Our Success Pass Menu Options
- Movie ticket
- Morning tea with the College or Campus Principal
- Canteen voucher
- Personal out of uniform day
- Lunch with teacher of choice
- Gift cards
- Tour of Pasco or Bayview campus
- Donation to charity of choice
- Supervised lunch at beach
- iTunes voucher
- Voucher to community businesses
Behaviour Expectation Post Cards
Staff at Williamstown High School have the opportunity to acknowledge and recognise the positive behaviours of students by sending home a SWPBS expectation postcard. The student and family receive the postcard through the mail.
W-Files Articles (School Newsletter)
The SWPBS team contributes to each W-Files edition, providing progress updates about SWPBS at Williamstown High School. We specifically aim to celebrate the positive outcomes for our students, and acknowledge the tireless work of our staff in the implementation of SWPBS.