The Niles City School District is excited to share that Niles Middle School has been recognized with the Bronze Award by the Ohio PBIS Network and the State Support Team for the implementation of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) during the 2022-2023 school year! This distinguished recognition acknowledges the school's commitment to establishing a culture that supports academic and social success for all students. NMS is just one of two public schools in Trumbull County to receive award recognition by the State Support Team.
“This is so exciting for Niles Middle School,” says Denise Holloway, Family and Community Engagement Liaison for the Trumbull County Educational Service Center. “The PBIS team, staff, and students should all be so proud of the work they have done, it is extremely hard to receive this type of recognition in the first year of program implementation.” Holloway, who also serves as a PBIS Master Trainer, has been working closely with the Niles Middle School PBIS Team for the last year on the rollout and application of their PBIS program, which focuses heavily on increasing student attendance.
“If our students are in school, the opportunities we have to reach them to ensure their needs are being met socially, emotionally, and educationally increase significantly,” says Niles Middle School PBIS Team Leader and Assistant Principal, Dr. Leah Marsh. “We’re already seeing improved academic and positive behavior outcomes as a result of the supports we have put in place.”
During the 2022-23 school year, behavior expectation posters were hung in the halls and the NMS PBIS team implemented the Dean’s Dragon Draw and the Check and Connect mentoring program. The Dragon Draw provided experiences such as bowling or lunch with the Principals to students with perfect attendance each nine weeks while the mentoring program paired a PBIS team member with a student for regular check-ins. This school year, NMS has partnered with the Cleveland Browns football team to implement their Stay in the Game attendance program which provides incentives and rewards for good or improved attendance. The initiatives are playing a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing a supportive and nurturing environment conducive to both academic and personal growth.
“The improvements we are seeing are 100% attributed to the work and support of this PBIS team,” says Marsh. “Team members have whole-heartedly embraced this process, the ideas, their roles, and what the outcomes could mean for our students. Without that, we absolutely would not be here today.”
"We are immensely proud to receive the PBIS Bronze Award. This recognition reflects the collective commitment of our entire school community to creating a positive and supportive environment for our students," said Sam Reigle, Principal of Niles Middle School. "Our approach to this initiative goes beyond academics; it's about instilling values that will hopefully stay with our students throughout their lives."
The NMS PBIS team will be recognized at the Annual Ohio Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC) Showcase on January 31, 2024. NMS PBIS team members include Marsh, Reigle, Patty Clark, Susan Hess, Anna Keatley, Brian McConnell, Marijane Parry, Meghan Partridge, Joe Toth, and Ann Woloschak.