PBIS, SEL, and Bullying-Prevention

Throughout Eastern York School district, we talk a lot about our Golden Knights wearing their ARMOR in various school settings as part of our Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) program. PBIS is a researched-based approach to maintaining and improving a positive school climate conducive to academic success and social and emotional growth. We know that our students come to Canadochly with unique needs and backgrounds, so we’ve created a common language for everyone in our building to teach expected behaviors in a positive way as means of proactively addressing behaviors that may negatively impact others, such as bullying.

When we teach our students these expectations during morning meetings, assemblies, or through our announcements, we do so using Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) activities aligned with our PBIS (ARMOR) Program. Each trait or behavior we'd like to see in our students has lessons wrapped around a group of characters' stories they will follow from kindergarten through eighth grade, the ARMOR Team.

The first member of the ARMOR Team our students meet each year is Amelia, who is used to represent our Bullying Prevention efforts. Along with other members of the ARMOR Team, Amelia teaches our students that bullying consists of intentional and ongoing actions hinging on an imbalance of power and models how students can act on their own behalf or help others. Other members of the ARMOR Team coordinate their efforts by providing students with more specific strategies they can use to navigate tricky social situations.

Among the most commonly used approaches we teach is "Stop, Walk, and Talk".  Students and staff in all grade levels are taught this 3 step process by the school counselor, starting with understanding the stop/walk/talk response and providing some time to practice as a group. Other themes our school counselor broaches with students include feelings identification, empathy, emotion management, and problem solving, most of which comes from the Second Step Program.

Below, you will find some common language you can use at home should you choose. It will also help you to better understand the feedback your children receive at school.

If you have any questions about PBIS, SEL, or Bullying-Prevention at Canadochly Elementary, feel free to contact the school counselor or principal.