Welcome to the PBS Classroom

Explorer Elementary

Parents,

I would like to welcome you and your child to my PBS program (Positive Behavior Support).  My name is Darrin Downing, and I am excited to get this year started.  I grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas and I attended Kansas State University.  I graduated from Kansas State in 2000 with a degree in elementary education and a Masters in special education in 2003.  My wife is a registered nurse at Wesely Medical Center, and we have a son and daughter.

The PBS classroom works with students who exhibit behaviors that are considered significantly different from same age peers given the setting and circumstances in which they occur.  Therefore, the students require a comprehensive assessment and specially designed programming in order to engage in academic tasks and comply with general conduct requirements in a general education setting. Each student will be on a behavior plan to help the student become succcessful in the classroom, and the behavior plan will be given to parents at the IEP meeting.  The academic curriculum delivered in this program is consistent with grade level state standards however; special methods/materials must be employed to motiviate students and to help compensate for lagging skills.

I will be using a daily point sheet as part of their behavior plan to reflect how your child's day went.  I will send the point sheet home with your child every night, and would appreciate if you could look at this point sheet and go over your child's day.  Please sign the point sheet and send it back to school the following day, as I use these point sheets for record keeping.  If the point sheet is brought back signed and your child has a good day, they may shop in the school store for something they desire as part as positive behavior reinforcement.  If you have any  questions, please send me an e-mail (ddowning@goddardusd.com).  Once again, I am looking forward to a great school year.

Darrin Downing