The honor is the result, said Fairfield South officials, of nearly a half decade of school-wide focus on providing all students with a program that reinforces positive behavior throughout the school day.
“Our entire staff—teachers, educational assistants, custodians, and more—is instrumental in supporting our students through PBIS,” said Principal Jenny Ament of the gold award shared by only a few other Ohio schools.
“Under the guidance of our school counselor Andrea Goins, school psychologist Heidi Escobar, former principal Jason Hussel, and the PBIS committee, this goal was set and has now come to fruition. Simply put, South is dedicated to using effective methods to create a positive learning environment,” said Ament.
Escobar said the award showcases the hard work and dedication required each day to ensure that students are ready to learn. She points out that staff, parents, and the community have come together to ensure that all students get the support they need to be successful at school.
“We are so proud of the work that has been done over the last several years and look forward to continuing to grow and refine our support,” Escobar said.
In previous years South Elementary, which has grades K-5 and enrolls 677 students, had won silver and bronze state honors but the gold award is the first for both the school and the 10,000-student Fairfield Schools, whose enrollment draws from both the city of Fairfield and the adjacent Fairfield Twp.
In recent years Fairfield Schools Superintendent Billy Smith has been among the most vocal of Butler County’s public-school leaders in advocating the importance of school-based programs – funded by state and local sources – in addressing the growing mental health needs of students while partnering with school parents.
Ament also said family involvement is also key to the success of PBIS, and South is thankful to have parents who actively support this initiative.
“Whether contributing through the PBIS committee, assisting with the school-wide PBIS store, or helping to celebrate our reward incentives with exciting events (like an inflatable race!), their participation makes a difference,” she said. “When staff, families, and the community work together, our students thrive, and this Gold distinction reflects the collective effort of everyone involved in this success.”
Goins cited examples of staff involvement: Cafeteria monitors awarding students for following school expectations; educational assistants providing re-set breaks for students as part of their behavior plans; special area teachers using time in their day to mentor students; teachers using their plan time to help with prep and plan school-wide events; community and parent volunteers who help run the school’s PBIS store; staff working to reteach behaviors to students and the administration team advocating and allocating space, time and resources.
Goins said commitment from all staff was key to achieving this recognition.
“Receiving gold for our PBIS practices at South shows we can all come together to reach a common goal. This five-year-plus long process would not have been accomplished if we didn’t have the commitment from every single person on our staff.”
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