Joyce Bullock Elementary outlines PBIS revamp; school reports drop in referrals

Hillary Cribbs, principal of Joyce Bullock Elementary, told the Levy County School Board that the school revised its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) plan over the past summer to address rising behavior referrals and improve implementation.

Cribbs said the updated plan centers on three core expectations taught to every student and reinforced across campus. “Positive behavior interventions and supports. We've had a solid plan in place for a number of years...so we took this last summer to revise our plan, and so that's what you're gonna kinda see in this presentation,” she said.

The revised PBIS includes a universal (tier 1) set of expectations the school calls the ABCs, a classroom color-chart system that allows movement up or down during the day, and classroom-level accommodations for students who need extra supports. Cribbs said staff adjusted how the chart is used to avoid publicly calling out students and added private redirection options and extra warnings for children with attention challenges.

School leaders also described a campus-wide rewards structure intended to increase positive recognition. Examples include classroom "compliments" tracked with teacher-selected systems, digital reward wheels, a biweekly "Cafe Cash" shop for students who demonstrate positive cafeteria behavior, and events such as glow parties and principal lunches. Cribbs credited paraeducators and custodial staff with helping operate several incentives.

Cribbs gave numerical context for the changes. She said the school recorded 302 office referrals in the first semester of the 2023-24 school year and highlighted improvement in younger grades: “If you look at 2023 to 4, [second grade] had 106 referrals coming into the first semester of last year's first graders. This year, they're down to 53,” she said. Cribbs and staff described other declines in repeated referrals and said only one student had double-digit referrals this year.

Staff emphasized restorative and instructional responses in addition to consequences. Teachers use a behavior-reflection sheet for older students to critique choices, plan alternatives and obtain parent signatures before a student can return to the playground. Cribbs said empowering classroom teachers to handle most pre-referral issues also reduced formal referrals.

Assistant principal Stacy DeCamp described classroom- and grade-level supports used to help students who had limited prior exposure to structured classroom expectations, noting some students need systematic coaching to learn routines and communication skills.

Board members praised the presentation and the data. The board did not take formal action on the presentation; Cribbs said the school will continue to refine the plan and report results to the board.

The PBIS revisions at Joyce Bullock will remain in place through the coming term, with staff continuing to track referrals and adjust incentives and accommodations as needed.