PBIS Program

OUR GOAL and PURPOSE....

To reinforce the positive behavior of students doing what is expected of them as well as supporting students who need extra assistance to reach the school-wide expectations of being safe, respectful, responsible, and kind learners by consistently defining, teaching, reinforcing, and monitoring positive behaviors.

Our PBIS Team for SY 24-25🙌

Administrator: Marites Garcia / Gerardo Galang

Facilitator: Felix Santos

Data Analyst: Brenda Porter

Data Entry: Annette Cruz

Minute Taker: Delia Jasmin

Timekeeper: Audrey Parinas

Historian / Co-Historian: Maria Hermosilla / Maria Soriano

Kindergarten Representative: Maria Hermosilla / Vernonica Cruz (Stand In)

1st Grade Representative: Genevieve Santos

2nd Grade Representative: Maria Soriano

3rd Grade Representative: Delia Jasmin

4th Grade Representative: Audrey Parinas

5th Grade Representative: Tanya Reyes

Support Team Representatives: Felix Santos / Brenda Porter (School Counselors)

CHamoru Team Representative: Rose Leon Guerrero

Staff Representatives: Annette Cruz / Bobbie Bermudez / Gabe Velasco

Our School Wide Behavioral Expectations😀

All students should....

BE SAFE

BE RESPECTFUL

BE RESPONSIBLE

BE KIND

District PBIS Newsletter #1 for SY 24-25

November 2024 Issue 001

Welcome to the First Edition of Our PBIS Newsletter

Håfa Adai, GDOE Community!

We are thrilled to introduce the Guam Department of Education's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Newsletter! This newsletter aims to be a valuable resource for educators, staff, and administrators throughout our district. Our goal is simple: to support and enhance PBIS efforts across all GDOE schools by sharing useful tips, success stories, research, and best practices.

Why PBIS? PBIS is more than just a framework for improving student behavior; it’s a way to create positive, productive, and safe learning environments. Across the district, schools are implementing PBIS to foster respect, responsibility, and academic success. This newsletter will highlight the ways PBIS is making a difference in our schools and how we can continue to build on these successes together.

What You Can Expect:

Tips and Tricks for Effective PBIS Implementation: We’ll share quick strategies that you can easily integrate into your daily routines to promote positive behavior among students.
Spotlight on PBIS Success Stories: Hear from educators and schools that are seeing real results from their PBIS initiatives. Learn from their experiences and discover creative ways to enhance PBIS in your own school.
Best Practices: From developing consistent classroom expectations to data-driven decision-making, we’ll showcase proven methods for maximizing the benefits of PBIS.
Data Insights: We will present the latest data on PBIS implementation in our schools, allowing us to celebrate our progress and identify areas for growth.
Latest Research: Stay informed with updates on the latest research and developments in PBIS, both locally and nationally. We’ll ensure you have access to evidence-based practices that keep your PBIS efforts aligned with current trends.

We hope this newsletter becomes a source of inspiration and practical advice for everyone involved in PBIS. Whether you’re just beginning your PBIS journey or are looking to refine existing practices, there’s something here for you!

Let’s continue working together to support our students’ social, emotional, and academic success through the power of PBIS. We look forward to hearing from you and sharing your stories in future editions!

Si Yu’os Ma’åse’ for all your hard work and commitment to making our schools the best they can be.

Safely, Responsibly, and Respectfully,

The GDOE PBIS Team

Research has tied the sharing of data with stakeholders to the sustainability of any organization’s PBIS implementation. We will be aligning ourselves with that expertise moving forward by sharing district-wide discipline data every month and resources related to the behaviors you’re experiencing in your school building.

Sources: Powerschool; TylerPulse

Learn More:

SOP 1200-018 The Student Conduct Procedural Manual

On addressing Aggressive Behaviors:

Understanding Aggression in Children and Youth | The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Lessons on Conflict Resolution
Self-Awareness and Self Management | Greater Good in Education, University of California Berkeley
[VIDEOS] Responding to Aggressive Behaviors and Fighting in Different Settings

On Tobacco use:

Tobacco Prevention Toolkit | Stanford Medicine
smokeSCREEN | Yale Center for Health & Learning Games - smokeSCREEN is a tobacco use prevention video game that addresses a range of challenges that young teens face with a dedicated focus on decision-making about smoking and vaping

NOVEMBER 1 - 30, 2024

Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) OPEN

Are you a part of your school’s School Climate Cadre (SCC) or PBIS Team? If you are, thank you for being a very critical part of what drives PBIS in our schools. A major piece of the PBIS framework is ensuring that teams check for progress and whether their efforts are aligned with the framework itself. Each team is able to do this by completing the TFI to see how solid their teaming structures, implementation, and use of data for decision-making are.

So whether you’re a member of your school’s PBIS Team or not, taking a look at the TFI will help you understand the various moving parts of the PBIS Framework and what makes it effective when implemented with fidelity. Check in with your PBIS Team if you’re interested in seeing your school level data, as well.

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

ALL SOULS’ DAY

Though not all of our students and their families may be celebrating All Souls’ Day, the concept of honoring our ancestors and loved ones who have passed on is much more universal. It also leans into the part of PBIS that emphasizes the importance of culture and identity in molding successful human beings.

Staying culturally and contextually relevant, check out these activities (for ages 3-18) that can facilitate learning through the celebration of ancestors and those who have paved the paths before us.

NOVEMBER 3, 2024

FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA (FSM) INDEPENDENCE DAY

This month, our southern neighboring islands in the FSM (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae) will be celebrating their 38th anniversary of Independence. It was on November 3, 1986 that the Federated States of Micronesia achieved independence from the United Nations-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and entered into a Compact of Free Association with the United States of America.

Being that nearly 30% of our student population is rooted in the FSM, acknowledging this day and the strides made by the FSM for growth, prosperity, and cultural continuity in our region is a part of uplifting every student and the rich histories that they represent. Happy Independence Day to the Federated States of Micronesia!

Learn More:

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

VETERANS DAY

To the Veterans in our GDOE Community: Thank you for your service!

Many families in Guam have veterans among their loved ones, making Veterans Day a meaningful opportunity to connect your school’s values with real-life examples of respect, responsibility, and community. Veterans embody these traits through their service, and we can use this day to teach students about honoring others, showing gratitude, and being responsible citizens.

Let’s encourage students to express these values as they recognize and appreciate the veterans in our community.

Veterans Day in the Classroom – A collection of lesson plans, activities, and resources for grades K-12 made to honor our service members and educate about their experience and sacrifice.

NOVEMBER 13 , 2024

WORLD KINDNESS DAY

In the PBIS framework, kindness is one of the core values that schools aim to instill in students. By recognizing and rewarding kind behavior, PBIS helps create a culture of respect, empathy, and cooperation, which is key to a positive school environment. World Kindness Day provides an excellent opportunity to reinforce these values by encouraging students and families to participate in acts of kindness, both in school and at home.

Kindness in the Classroom with in-depth lesson plans and resources from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation – K-5 | 6-8 | High School

NOVEMBER 28, 2024

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to celebrate the value of reciprocity, a core concept in our region. Reciprocity, the mutual exchange of kindness and resources, is central to maintaining community harmony across Micronesian islands. Tying this into PBIS, we can encourage students to practice gratitude and give back to their peers, families, and communities. Simple acts of giving and showing appreciation foster a sense of responsibility, respect, and interconnectedness, aligning with both PBIS values and the traditional importance of reciprocity in Micronesian culture.

One of the simplest ways to model such values for our students, and a way we often forget, is to say thank you. Thank you for being kind. Thank you for being present at school today. Thank you for doing your best.

Acknowledging diligence and good choices can go a very long way. Margaret Cousins said it best: “Appreciation can make a day - even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” And with that said…

Thank you, GDOE – for all of the hard work you do in service of our students and their families.

Administered by the GDOE Federal Programs Division & Funded

by the U.S. Ed Consolidated Grant to the Outlying Areas.

For more information, contact:

Steven Pangelinan

SCCE Project Lead

(671) 300 1625

Juan K. Martin

SCCE Social Service Supervisor

(671) 300 1383

GDOE Division of Educational Supports & Community Learning

501 Mariner Avenue

Barrigada, GU 96913

District PBIS Newsletter #2 for SY 24-25

December 2024 Issue 002

Håfa Adai and Happy Holidays, GDOE Community!

We’re excited to bring you the second edition of our PBIS Newsletter! Thank you to everyone who took the time to take a look at our first issue— we hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. This newsletter is our way of sharing the things we learn about PBIS in all of its function and versatility. Your feedback and enthusiasm motivate us to continue delivering content that is useful to you.

In this edition, we’re keeping the momentum going by sharing more valuable tips, strategies, and stories of implementation to support positive behavior in our schools and homes. As the holiday season approaches, we’re spreading cheer with the gift of resources! Yes, this issue is extremely resource focused with lots to consider heading into the holiday break and New Year.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Together, we’re building brighter pathways for our students, one step at a time!

Sleigh Bells Ringin’,

The GDOE PBIS Team

Power in Numbers

This month, we’re focusing on a “how” approach to data. We don’t have to tell you that data makes the world go ‘round. In the PBIS Framework, data is, in colloquial terms, that girl. Why? Any person who is in tune with the goings-on in their school building could probably give you a rough description of the current climate or where areas of concern are (which is valuable qualitative data), but data that can be graphed and counted is kind of undeniable; it’s a map. When analyzed intentionally, data pulls together stories, can paint entire pictures, and clears paths for change.

Teams that are implementing PBIS with fidelity are not only constantly reviewing all types of data (behavior, attendance, fidelity, climate, academic, etc.), they are also sharing that data with their school community, AND they are applying what they learn from that data to their systems and practices. (Yes, there is substance to the infamous venn diagram.)

One major tip that we often share and that will never go stale is to always, always, always consider THE BIG 5 when looking at behavior data: WHO (drill down those student demographics), WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW OFTEN? Being cognizant of these five variables in your data will help you to answer the even more elusive question of WHY certain behaviors are happening.

Take a look at this BIG 5 DATA REVIEW GUIDE to help you get a sense of how data can drive action when it is looked at with intention.

We’ve also gathered these additional resources and tools to help guide you in learning about data-based decision making, or to reinforce what you may already know:

[PRACTICE GUIDE] How School Teams Use Data to Make Effective Decisions: Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS)
[PBISApps ARTICLE] Decisions, Decisions: 5 Keys to Creating a Data-Driven School
[HIGH SCHOOL PBIS ARTICLE] Innovation in data-driven decision making within SWPBIS systems: Welcome to the gallery walk
[TOOL] Visualizing Your Data to Identify Your Schools’ Trends
[TOOL] Data Tracking Forms for each Tier
[VIDEO] Why Data Storytelling Matters to All of Us

RESOURCE ALERT

The Achievery (K-12) – Created by AT&T, the Achievery is a FREE digital learning platform endorsed by parents that is home to a slew of lesson plans built to engage the modern student. In addition to content to reinforce core subjects, there are also TONS (seriously, tons) of lessons on Social Emotional Learning and Digital Literacy. Just take a look at the screenshot below showing a fraction of what’s available:

This is a great resource for teams who are building lesson plans to reinforce behavioral expectations, parents who are looking for ways to boost learning at home, and anyone else in between who values cool resources for education (i.e. all of us).

Psssttt… fun fact: every lesson plan on The Achievery is aligned with CASEL, Common Core, Next Generation Science, and/or ISTE Standards. Love that for us.

DECEMBER 1 - 20, 2024

TIERED FIDELITY INVENTORY (TFI) EXTENSION

With the success of the webinars and teams really leaning to the function and value of the TFI, we’ve extended the deadline to submit the assessment tool so that teams are able to be as thorough as they wish without the added pressure of a time crunch. (Also to give some leeway for schools who would like to give the TFI Walkthrough a try).

Major thanks to the School Climate Cadres who have already completed their TFI, and to every school team for all their hard work implementing PBIS with fidelity. We’ll take a look at the TFI again in April – see you then.

DECEMBER 3, 2024

GIVING TUESDAY

A few of our schools have taken advantage of the flexibility of the PBIS Framework and added KINDNESS to their behavioral expectations (shout-out to LPUMS, ATES, FES, LES, MSES, & OCPES). A HUGE part of being kind to one another is our willingness to give.

Giving Tuesday, a global movement started in 2012, operates based on the mission “to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life.” It should go without saying that as islanders of this region, generosity is embedded in our cultures and ways of being. And while many campaigns for generosity that we see are earmarked by dollar amounts, acts of generosity take so many different forms.

In school settings, generosity with time, patience, skills and knowledge, and with empathy— these make up the foundation of the supportive learning environments that our students deserve.

Resources from GivingTuesday:

Generosity Toolbox
Give As We Grow
- Game (Available on Android and iOS)
- Resource Library

DECEMBER 10 - 12, 2024

SCCE PARENT INFORMATION WORKSHOP SERIES

The School Climate Culture & Engagement (SCCE) Project (Home to the PBIS Team) is hosting their Fanuchånan series of Parent Information Workshops this month. At these workshops, parents are exposed to information and resources from community partners and are offered new and different ways to be more engaged in their child’s education.

This workshop series offers presentation sessions from the Guam Trades Academy; Department of Labor; Guam Community College (GCC) Adult Education Program AND a special presentation from your PBIS Coaches on using the PBIS Framework at Home.

DETAILS

DAY 1 - December 10

Pagachao Youth Resource Center (Hågat)

8:30AM - 12PM

DAY 2 - December 11

Yigo Gym

8:30AM - 12PM

DAY 3 - December 12

MongMong-Toto-Maite Mayor’s Office

8:30AM - 12PM

Contact Maricor Amande & Elena Villagomez

mmamande@gdoe.net | evillagomez@gdoe.net

671-300-4510

Contact Vanessa Nagal & David Quidachay

vlnagal@gdoe.net | dqquidachay@gdoe.net

671-300-1170/1

Contact Patrick Camacho & Austin Castro

patrick.camacho@gdoe.net | ajcastro@gdoe.net

671-300-4364

DECEMBER 23, 2024 to JANUARY 3, 2025

HOLIDAY BREAK

As a district, we know the Three Be’s all too well: Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. This holiday season, we propose a set of seasonal behavioral expectations for ourselves, the Three R’s: RECHARGE. RESET. RED RICE. See the behavioral matrix below:

Obviously this is just us having a bit of fun with creating matrices for behavior. However, while we’re on the topics of RE-charging and RE-setting, we’re right at the door of RE-viewing our expectations and checking in to see if they still reflect the culture and climate of our school communities. It’s a great general practice to have, and it should be an easy practice as well. January is just around the corner, is it gonna be a new year, new Be’s?

Buuuuutttt… in the meantime, why don’t we give those Three R’s a shot? We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season that is spirited and restful, with fiesta plates for days. []

Serving Positive Behavior at ATES & FES!

Picture this: you’re walking into the cafeteria with your classmates. First in the lunch-line privileges? Yours. Most days you have to think about where you’re sitting and who you’re sitting with, but not today. Today’s different. Today, because of all the work you’ve put in to be a stellar student, you’re at the VIP table. Front and center. Fancy table cover. Facetime with a VVIP. Photo-ops. The works.

If this is you, chances are you’re a student at AsTumbo (ATES) or Finegayan Elementary School (FES) doing your absolute best and being recognized as a result of it. Both ATES and FES have a monthly recognition system for students who have modeled the behavioral expectations of being safe, respectful, responsible, and kind. Their recognition systems center on letting these students shine in front of their peers in the lunchroom while having some face-to-face time with their Principal (Lunch with the Principal at ATES) or another VIP (Lunch with a VIP at FES).

Thank you to School Counselors Katrina Comia (ATES) and Felix Santos (FES) for sharing these videos/photos and for all of the hard work you do with PBIS at your schools!

Share how your school does PBIS to be featured!

[ SUBMIT PHOTOS AND VIDEOS HERE ]

In case you missed it...

Tiered Fidelity Inventory Webinar Series

Erin Chaparro, Ph.D., M.S.

Research Associate Professor

Education and Community Supports, College of Education

University of Oregon

State & Territory Implementation Partner

Last month, we had two very successful webinar sessions with Guam’s Implementation Partner at the Center on PBIS, Dr. Erin Chaparro. Dr. Chaparro is a research faculty member at the University of Oregon’s College of Education, where she works with districts, schools, and state leaders to help install evidence-based practices.

Her research has focused on various areas of PBIS like intervention and assessment, data-based teaming, multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS), and implementation science, among others. She has also done work as a school psychologist, SPED interventionist, instructional coach, and counselor. With all of that said, we’re extremely fortunate and grateful to have her as a resource and advisor. We also hope to host more webinars with her in the future to continuously expand our knowledge and awareness of PBIS as a district.

“Where are we headed, how can we change, and what can we celebrate?”

The two-day series of webinars, covering the use and application of the Tiered Fidelity Inventory, was intended to help school personnel at each level understand the importance of teaming, action planning, and regularly asking ourselves: Are we doing what we said we would? Are we on the right track? Are we implementing the PBIS framework as it was intended?

Who was there?

Of the 80+ participants on each day, here’s the breakdown of who was in attendance:

*Those who did not indicate a role were not included in the above count.

Thanks to all of the administrators, faculty, and staff members that were able to join us for the webinars!

Click here to watch the recorded Webinars

Training Materials shared by Dr. Chaparro

P.S. We’re always ready to get some steps in. Contact pbis-coaches@gdoe.net to schedule a TFI Walkthrough.

READ THE FIRST EDITION OF THE TTI HERE

We are data driven and your feedback is very important to us. Share your thoughts on the Tier Tune-In and any ideas for future content via our feedback survey.

Administered by the GDOE Federal Programs Division & Funded

by the U.S. Ed Consolidated Grant to the Outlying Areas.

For more information, contact:

Steven Pangelinan

SCCE Project Lead

(671) 300 1625

Juan K. Martin

SCCE Social Service Supervisor

(671) 300 1383

GDOE Division of Educational Supports & Community Learning

501 Mariner Avenue

Barrigada, GU 96913

District PBIS Newsletter #3 for SY 24-25

January 2025 Issue 003

Kicking off the New Year with PBIS

Håfa Adai and Happy New Year, GDOE Community!

As we step into a fresh start this January, we’re happy to bring you the latest edition of our PBIS Newsletter! The new year is a time for reflection, goal-setting, and renewal, and in this spirit, let’s work together to make this year one of growth, positivity, and collaboration in our schools and communities.

Thank you for continuing to be part of this journey as we build a brighter future together!

Resolutely,

The GDOE PBIS Team

Note: Of the 1,543 total reported Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) in the months of November and December 2024, 58% (896) were first-time referrals. The remaining 42% (647) were repeat offenses (i.e. for students who have received 2 or more ODRs since the start of SY 24-25.)

Source: Powerschool

Learn More

Data-Based Decision Making - Data is an essential piece of the larger conversations we have about student behavior and the practices we put in place to support them. Good data helps us ask the right questions with precision (who, what, where, when, how often, and why) and clarity (general agreement on priorities).
SOP 1200-018 The Student Conduct Procedural Manual – The District Data Dictionary is in here!! (Appendix A )

Addressing Violent and Aggressive Behaviors

[Article] The Challenge of School Violence - PBISApps
[Article] "I Won't Be Your Friend If You Don't!" Preventing and Responding to Relational Aggression in Preschool Classrooms - In which the National Association for the Education of Young Children explains how relational aggression is a slippery slope… but also strategies to prevent it.

Addressing Substance Use

Tobacco Prevention Toolkit | Stanford Medicine - Sharing this resource once more because it is a true asset based on the current data on tobacco use at our secondary level.

The toolkit even has a Parent Corner — Check it out

JANUARY

National Mentoring Month

Mentorship enhances PBIS implementation by providing students with positive role models who guide and support them in meeting behavior expectations. By fostering connections and reinforcing PBIS values, mentorship helps create a more respectful, responsible, and inclusive school environment.

Mentoring Resources | Guides and toolkits for working with youth of various backgrounds and interests.
School Checklist for Developing and Launching a Mentorship Program

JANUARY 20, 2025

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s fight for justice and equity challenges us to reflect on our own practices and commitments to creating inclusive spaces. Equity lies at the center of the PBIS framework and aligns with Dr. King’s vision by addressing systemic barriers, promoting fairness, and ensuring every student—regardless of background—has the opportunity to thrive. On this Day of Service, we reaffirm our responsibility to advance equity, not just in words but through action, by fostering respectful, supportive, and equitable environments in our schools and communities. Together, we honor Dr. King’s legacy through meaningful and lasting change.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute
- Freedom’s Ring - Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, animated and annotated. The content of his words and call for justice, peace, and freedom resonate to this day. This is a great resource for starting the conversation about how this piece of history is tied to local history, and perhaps the lived experience of students.
PBIS Cultural Responsiveness Field Guide - Center on PBIS
Discussing Race, Racism, and Important Current Events with Students: A Guide with Lesson Plans and Resources - Center on PBIS

JANUARY 29, 2025

Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year, celebrated in many East Asian cultures, symbolizes renewal, gratitude, and community—values closely aligned with PBIS principles of fostering respect, responsibility, and kindness. Traditions such as family gatherings, acts of generosity like giving red envelopes, and celebrations of shared culture reflect the importance of positive connections and mutual support, both at home and in schools.

In ancient Micronesia, the phases of the moon played a critical role in the daily lives and traditions of Pacific Islander communities. While the Lunar New Year as it is celebrated in East Asia may not have a direct counterpart in Micronesian cultures, the moon phases were deeply significant in guiding activities, marking time, and influencing spiritual and cultural practices.

[ARTICLE] What is the Lunar New Year? - National Geographic
[ARTICLE] 4 Lunar New Year Lesson Plans for Young Learners and Teens - Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Fun Fact: Ancient CHamorus were also known to have used a Lunar Calendar, in which modern-day January was called “Tumaiguini” (translation: this is the way, like this). According to Dr. Michael Bevacqua, Tumaiguini “is a time to set goals, to make decisions. It is a time to imagine what will be different, what might be better.” (It also sounds a lot like a perfect time to action plan….)

新年好 | 새해 복 많이 받으세요 | Chúc mừng Năm Mới. Tân niên vui vẻ

“Happy New Year” in Mandarin (Xīnnián hǎo), Korean (saehae bok mani badeuseyo), and Vietnamese.