Beyond Point and Level Systems: Teaching pro-social independence to students with severe emotional and behavioral challenges

ICEC Presentation11/8/2013Dr. Joseph R. WilliamsMrs. Kimberly Borri MSWMrs. Kerry Fallon OTMs. Danielle Fritz LBSI

Glenwood Schoolwww.glenwood-case.com We are a public alternative school K-21 Students with severe emotional

behavioral challenges RTI instructional framework All student progress monitored for

academics and social and emotional functioning

Our Students Face Many Challenges Mental illness Poverty Family distress Abuse Neglect Multi-systems involvement Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s)

Our Intentions To tell our story in the hope that our

experience validates the efforts of others engaged in the same work, contributes to programs undertaking significant reform, or perhaps motivates someone to undertake reform in their own program or building.

Disclaimers We as a team are committed to customized

solutions Our problem may not be yours. We should be

cautious with a “cut and paste” approach Our approach may not fit your situation We have experienced significant success, but are not

satisfied. We have work to do. We don’t believe that you can extinguish a behavior

without addressing the thoughts and feelings that drive the behavior. We believe that the behaviors are windows of insight into altered perceptions and not the central issue.

Where We Were Glenwood Has a long history and was located in multiple buildings over the

course of 25 years The program addressed severe behavioral issues with a “cost-response”

orientation Several iterations of point and level systems Highly evolved systems of violations and consequences Drops; Freezes; Skips; Double Days Case Management and discipline handled through Social Workers Lack of consensus Physical Management; Isolated Time Out; Extended Day-minute for minute Infrequent successful transitions back to the Gen Ed environment Shared belief that a K-21 site could be a program with consistent

interventions and expectations throughout the program Frequent parent complaints and daily presence of law enforcement Target behaviors were confronted which led to frequent power struggles &

Physical Management

Under close scrutiny… There was very little researchable evidence to

support this approach http://www.thinkkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/0

1/5Mohr-et-al-2009.pdf Glenwood was not getting the desired results

High rate of Isolated Time Out High rate of Physical Management Poor attendance A reputation as a “Tough Behavior School” Not seen as an intervention but a destination Parents averse to a Glenwood Placement

Where We Are 2 & ½ Years Later We operate without a point-level system We are committed to explicitly modeling; teaching; and assessing

Pro-social Independence Commitment to teaching social perspective taking Teachers handle all case management and coordinate the

interventions and services Related service providers are equal partners in the instructional

program Elimination of a school-wide approach in favor of 3 developmentally

appropriate instructional teams which operate in relative independence

Shared belief and commitment to essential frameworks and skill sets Power struggles are frowned upon and seldom engaged in Decreased law enforcement presence in our program Elimination of extended day program; detentions used only at HS

Which has led to… Fewer incidents of physical management Decrease in utilization of ITO K-5 ITO not employed above Grade 5 Fewer injuries to students and staff Improved relationships with students and parents Individualized and accurate FBA’s and BIP’s Increasingly positive climate in our building Successful transitions at all developmental levels of

our students back to their general education environment

What that looks like…

Fostering a Culture of Cooperation and Pro-social Independence Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the

good- They may indeed be enemies We don’t extinguish behaviors; we work to help

students engage in pro-social behaviors more frequently because it is helpful to them

We believe that thoughts lead to feelings which result in observable behaviors

We are committed to: Cognitive Coaching Teaching Replacement Behaviors Addressing deficits in Social Perspective Taking

Trauma Informed and Trauma Sensitive Many of our students have experienced significant

doses of adverse childhood experiences or traumas. Traumatic experiences in childhood and adolescence have been associated with increased health-risk behaviors; deficits in social perspective taking; and a host of behaviors which can be characterized as anti-social or maladaptive

It is critical for our team to understand the potential effect that child maltreatment and complex trauma can have on a students perspective and outlook on adults and peers

Understanding our students has to go beyond behavior

Required Reading and Resources Helping Traumatized Children Learn http://www.massadvocates.org/downloa

d-book.php National Childhood Traumatic Stress

Network http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/com

plex-trauma Adverse Childhood Experiences http://acestudy.org/

LSCI Life Space Crisis Intervention

(LSCI) is a nationally recognized, professional training and certification program

LSCI views problems or stressful incidents as opportunities for student learning, growth, insight, and change

Staff learn therapeutic intervention strategies to help students cognitively restructure how they experience stress and conflict

Social Perspective Taking Cognitive Coaching with LSCI’s

6 Reclaiming Interventions

Replacement Behaviors Explicit instruction, modeling, and rehearsal of

calming strategies and pro-social skills Zones of Regulation

A program developed by an occupational therapist, Leah Kuypers, to help develop self-regulation and self-management skills within one’s environment

The child learns to identify their current physical or emotional state and match it to a corresponding colored zone

Each zone has a set of tools to be used to help the child demonstrate expected behaviors

The critical premise is that no zone is bad, it is how we manage these feelings and our reactions given the situation

Replacement Behaviors

Focus for implementation of the Zones of Regulation at Glenwood Consistent adult training and implementation

All adults using the same language with kids Ensure curriculum is taught with fidelity Classroom and individual visual supports Opportunities for modeling and practice

Social Perspective Taking

Zones of Regulation Second Step, School Connect,

and other SEL curriculums Consistent language used

during de-briefing

Teacher PerspectiveRunning a self-contained classroom without

points and levels. Collaboration Team approach (Classroom

teacher, Para-professionals, social worker, OT, etc.)

Unified implementation has created an environment in which students have been shown consistent support from all staff members.

Decreasing the frequency and intensity of stressful events. Identifying the central issue of a stressful

incident rather than reverting to immediate loss of point.

Building genuine relationships brings in authentic problems.

What It Looks Like: A Classroom Perspective

Zones of Regulation: It is okay to feel a certain way!

Using Life Space Crisis Intervention in the classroom. Condensed version may be necessary. Allow the drain off (that may include leaving the

student alone). Providing insight reverting back to what

happened in the classroom. “I understand” Always point out a positive of any situation. Moving forward

4 Frames for Understanding OrganizationsBolman and Deal

Cultural/Symbolic Frame Political Frame Human Resource Frame Structural Frame

Cultural Frame We removed 3 of the 4 ITO room doors Redesigned the logo; T-shirts for all We hosted a CASE Board meeting during

the day when students were present Made a commitment to greeting all

people everyday, every time Committed to purposeful language;

shared language

Political Frame We made a commitment to telling our

own story Made an explicit commitment to

establishing and maintaining quality relationships with parents, families, our team, and our districts

We established our website www.glenwood-case.com

Human Resource Frame Designed and implemented a rigorous and

relevant curriculum on staff development All teachers are trained in the curriculum that

they deliver Increased the role of the social worker and

assigned to developmental teams Included students in the hiring of new faculty Supported the CASE mentoring program Implemented shared decision making model Established the framework for PLC’s

Structural Frame The CASE Board has made a significant

investment in our building We reorganized into 3 distinct teams Implemented research supported

curriculum and interventions Established and implemented an

authentic system for assessing pro-social independence

Committed to the process

Preliminary Data: Our Students Remain Intense

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

0.67

0.48

0.55

0.35

0.61

0.570.52

0.62

35%

65%

53%50%

50%

58%

55%

75% 77%

48%

31%

57%

60%

Percent of Student‘s Behaviors Resulting in ITO at least One Time in a Day

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

Preliminary Data: Decreased Frequency per Month and Rate per Day of the Use of ITO

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0

20

40

60

80

100

21 45 42 30 21 35 59 60 72 488 22 3180 60 93 57 52 49 65 58

4.2

3

6.6

32.6

3.1 3.32.82.6 2.4

2

1.6 1.41.9

3.1

4 4

2.41.81.2 1.3

Frequency per Month and Rate per Day of the Use of ITO

Frequency 2011-12 Frequency 2012-13 Frequency 2013-14

Rate Per Day 2011-12 Rate Per Day 2012-13 Rate Per Day 2013-14

Forms and Their Functions Independence Rubric Independence Chart Independence Report (Summary) FBA & BIP

Pro-Social Independence for IEP Growth & Linkage to Services

Aug

22-2

4Se

pt 4

-7Se

pt 1

7-21

Oct

1-5

Oct

15-

19O

ct 2

9-Nov

2Nov

12-

16Nov

26-

30Dec

10-

14Ja

n 7-

11Ja

n 22

-25

Feb

4-8

Feb

19-2

2M

ar 4

-8M

ar 1

8-22

Apr 8-

12Ap

r 22

-26

May

6-1

0M

ay 2

0-24

Sept

3-6

Sept

16-

20Se

pt 3

0-O

ct 4

Oct

15-

18O

ct 2

8-Nov

1

1.00

1.75

2.50

3.25

4.003.97

3.783.613.633.54

2.872.85

3.45

2.75

3.55

3.02

2.63

3.483.24

3.73

3.363.413.66

3.373.47

2.93

3.26

2.873.113.13

3.733.88

3.483.30

3.753.773.64

3.983.80

3.983.983.903.873.72

3.463.53

3.163.26

2.31

3.163.41

2012-13 and 2013-14 School Years: Weekly Rating of Independence & Support Levels

Daily Averages 3.47 (87%)/3.38 (85%)

2013-14

Pro-Social Independence for IEP Growth & Linkage to Services

Nov 5

-9Nov

19-

21Dec

3-7

Dec

17-

21Ja

n 14

-18

Jan

28-F

eb 1

Feb

11-1

5Fe

b 25

-28

Mar

11-

15Ap

r 1-4

Apr 1

5-19

Apr 2

9-M

ay3

May

13-

17

0

40

80

120

160

200

46 4526

160

82

3922

87

4536

128

159

38

116

24

6777

118

4463

14

79

11 1931

6

Frequency of Maladaptive Behaviors by WeekMaladaptive Behavior Rate: 13.3 per day

Pro-Social Independence for Coordination of Care

1

1.75

2.5

3.25

43.903.943.823.683.81

2.83

2.422.58

2.392.57

2.052.10

3.25

1.801.86

2.622.53

3.09

2.49

3.18

3.63

3.002.92

2.51

3.393.05

3.34

3.983.903.96

2.80

2.40

4.00

3.60

2.76

School Year Weekly Rating of Independence & Support Levels: Daily Independence Average: 3.05 (76%)

Individualized FBA/BIP

Crisis Intervention & Safety BIP

Crisis/Safety BIP shared by Carol Dahlquist, SASED

What Does the Crisis Look Like In the Moment?” taken from CPI Legal Guidelines and Documentation by Kim Borri, C.A.S.E.

Purposeful Change is Possible

• Shared mental models of understanding are critical to initiating and following through with cultural and philosophical change

• Evidence based frameworks for understanding students and student growth are critical

• Understanding why something is supposed to work is essential to understanding if something works

• Authentic teaming produces processes that team members internalize and adhere to

• Significant reductions in the use of physical management is possible and practicable

• Thoughts drive feelings which drive behaviors

Our Wikihttp://glenwoodschoolcase.pbworks.comGo to the link and request access.

We will happily include you and you may have access to many of our documents related to this presentation.