Growing our Climate and Culture, the shift away from PBIS

By Belle Gendron

As the new school year begins, some ideas and practices are left behind. The 2018-2019 school year had a program known as Positive Based Incentive System or, PBIS that replaced the Hero program. Students got points from teachers that could be redeemed for prizes like temporary bridge passes or a t-shirt.

Moving into 2019-2020, Redwood High School is leaving the incentive system costing about “6,000 to 7,000” says Mr. Marroquin, Redwood Assistant Principal, to focus more on the climate and culture made by TRUE rangers. Mr. Marroquin and other administrators are looking for new ways to show students the dos and don’ts of campus.

With the administrators teaming up with Mr. Henshaw’s second-period advanced video class, they are in the process of making videos to show the specifics. This engages students, as Rangers show other Rangers how to be TRUE in all they do at school. In Mr. Marroquin’s upcoming TRUE ranger assembly in November, these videos will be released.

As Mr. Henshaw’s class dove into the projects, Marroquin had the students pitch ideas to him as they collaborated to see what would be the best for Redwood.

Each team of students chose a topic that stood out to them including a tardies video, campus etiquette, bridge procedures, and how to lock up skateboards.

Henshaw uses these projects “to train the students to get them ready for the other projects. I use this to prime them up so if they messed up its okay, it’s just a school thing.” This is used as an opportunity for growth for the students.

One of the topics the video class chose to address is the dress code. Alia Backlund, ’22 and her team came up with some ideas.

Backlund explains, “We wanted to do reversed roles because we thought people would pay more attention to the video and it would be funny.” If you watched Episode 2 of Ranger T.V., you will see their hard work.

By leaving PBIS in the past, it allows the administration to devote more time and money to filming, editing, and producing media. The administration plans to give guidance in producing videos in hopes that students will understand what it means to be T.R.U.E.

Mr. Marroquin says he wants to focus on “the video aspect of what we could share out…. videos and tik-toks at assemblies.” The students are able to grow in video production, and it adds to the culture that surrounds Redwood. As students watch these videos, they are able to laugh together at funny videos and to understand the significance behind the heavier, more serious videos.