Students at Summit Academy Secondary School – Youngstown are rising to the occasion, projecting positive behavior that captured state-level attention. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce awarded the school a Bronze Recognition Award for its 2024 Ohio PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Showcase.
“This recognition reflects your commitment to creating a positive school climate and supporting the success of all students. We applaud your dedication and the hard work of your entire team,” wrote Michele Moore, director of Ohio DEW State Support Team Region 5, in a letter announcing the recognition.
Through PBIS, students receive points daily for honoring Summit Academy’s full-value contract, which entails safety, respect, full participation and honest feedback, according to Principal Ashley Martin. She says her school’s PBIS program has been one of progress, commitment and steady development over the past seven years.
“It has been a series of steppingstones, always going back to restorative practices and building relationships and student buy-in,” she explains. “Restorative practice is really the foundation and root of everything for me. It is my passion and really what I think has caused us to be so successful.”
The Ohio DEW describes PBIS on its website as “a systems change process that requires ongoing commitment in order to create effective systems for teaching and addressing student needs.”
The DEW further defines PBIS as a framework that guides school teams in the selection, integration and implementation of evidence-based practices for improving academic, social and behavior outcomes for all students.
Behavior Specialist Clark Cretella describes the PBIS program as one focused on fostering positive behavior.
“The objective is not to punish students, but to reward them, so we’re giving them points for positive behavior, but never taking them away,” Cretella explains. “If students are eligible for 80 points and they get 50, it’s a reflection of the way they behave.”
Martin commends her staff for tirelessly delivering a solid PBIS program day after day, year after year.
“The team here works very hard for the kids, closely and collaboratively. They put in a lot of time during the day and outside of work,” Martin says.
Teachers award students with points after each period. Students can “cash in” their points once a week at the school store for snacks, hygiene products, beverages, school supplies and other items. School staff stock the store with items which students have expressed interest in earning. It all comes down to the caring, close-knit culture within the school.
“There’s a sense of belonging here, a community within a community,” Cretella describes.
“We definitely function as a family,” Martin says.