Under Education Code Chapter 5.5 all California Schools are required to provide behavioral interventions and structures that fulfill the California Department of Education requirements. Kern High chose the PBIS and MTSS models and structures to implement throughout the district. 

Each High School in the Kern High District is audited under the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) every year during the Spring to ensure each High School in Kern is keeping the TFI standards. Our PBIS-MTSS Coordinators Kristy Towle (Tier 1) and Jeremy Newfield (Tier 2/3) do a fantastic job of keeping us, as a campus, in compliance and fulfilling our PBIS-MTSS policies and procedures. However, IHS does more than just meet standards, given the recognition system with California PBIS, we hope to display EXCELLENCE and apply for Platinum Level recognition so our school may be recognized for the amazing work the staff does on a daily basis.  

Postivie Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) 

What it is:

PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports.  PBIS is not a program, rather it is a “systems approach” for establishing the social culture and individualized behavior supports needed for schools to achieve both social and academic success for ALL students.  

• Define expectations and explicit instruction of those behavior/social expectations (develop logical and consistent consequences for problem behavior and couple with intervention/supports)

• Acknowledgement of positive behavior

• Ongoing collection and use of data for decision making

• Administrative Leadership/Structures (coordination of services and alignment of systems) and focused on a student experience that is predictable, positive, safe, and consistent

(Click Here for the KHSD Definition)

Multi-Tiered system of supports (mTSS) 

What it is:

MTSS is an acronym for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. MTSS is defined as a whole-school, data-driven, prevention based framework for improving learning outcomes for EVERY student through a layered continuum of evidence-based practices and systems. MTSS will usually focus on these shared tenets:

▪ Shared Leadership

▪ Data-Based Problem Solving and Decision Making

▪ Layered Continuum of Supports

▪ Evidence Based Instruction, Intervention, and Assessment Practices

▪ Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring

▪ Family, School, and Community Partnership and Engagement

(Click Here for the KHSD Definition)

Providing Tier 1 supports/ Interventions

• Call home 

• Mentoring

• Review of school/ classroom expectations R.I.S.E.

• Reflection worksheet

• Restorative conversation

• Refer the student to their counselor

• More Tier 1 Interventions (Here)

Identifying when a student could benefit from support 

Things to look for: 

• If you notice the student is showing a change of behavior, a change in attendance, not disruptive, is anxious, angry, depressed, unable to concentrate, seeks assurance or support.

• The Student is making consistent statements of having trouble managing feelings, anxiety, low motivation, social skills, etc. 

• Student has lost a loved one

• If the student struggles with personal space, asking questions, does not participate in class, lacks social skills

• If the student has had 2 incidents in the class room with you or in another class

• If the student is consistently truant or tardy

• Change of behavior- Is the student usually happy or talkative and suddenly is quiet and removed?

Making a Tier 2 Request (here)

• Tier 2 requests should be based on suspicion and a determination should be left to the Tier 2 Team

• Requests can be made by anyone: Teacher, Counselor, Dean, Parent, Student, etc.

• Please contact a counselor or attempt a Tier 1 intervention before making the request 

Groups

If you ever hear someone on campus talk about groups or Interventions, they are probably referring to Social/Emotional Learning (S.E.L.) groups that are being run by Marcus Weaver. These groups all follow an Evidence Based Intervention (EBI) booklet, last 10 weeks, and are during school hours. In these groups, students learn thinking skills and action skills that support their social/emotional learning.  

What groups do we offer?

There are many types of Interventions. The groups that we offer are based on needs of the school. In other words, our Interventionist builds groups based on need rather than offering various groups at various times. Any and all groups may be active depending on the student's needs of the school. 

What do you mean student need?

Here is a short list of some student needs/Groups: 

• Grief 

• Anxiety

• Relationships/ Communication

• Substance Abuse

• Handling Difficult Feelings

• Low Motivation

• Anger/ Aggressive behavior

• Responsible Behavior

View our Catalog of EBI's (Here)

• After completing a Tier 2 request, the request will be sent to the Tier 2 team

• The team holds meetings once every two weeks on Fridays, so if you make a request during the week before the meeting, the student will not be reviewed until the day of the meeting on the following week

• To see the teams determination, refer to synergy or follow up with Marcus_weaver@kernhigh.org to track the student's involvement in Tier 2 interventions  

Feel free to contact marcus_weaver@kernhigh.org