South Kitsap board hears multi-tiered behavior supports from four schools

South Kitsap School District staff and leaders from four schools described their multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for student behavior at a March 5 board study session, saying the district is in year four of districtwide implementation and that several pilot programs are reducing repeat disciplinary incidents while keeping students in school.

The presentations covered universal screening and referral processes at Manchester Elementary; Orchard Heights Elementary’s Student Support Center; John Sedgwick Middle School’s RISE restorative program and sensory room; and South Kitsap High School’s Chance to Change (CTC) in‑school restorative program. No board decisions were taken at the study session.

District staffer Tom Edwards said the work is moving from planning to wider implementation: "we are, we're in year 4 of implementing multi tiered systems support for behavior," and that this year schools are emphasizing supports at tiers 2 and 3 — the interventions for students whose needs exceed universal classroom strategies.

Why it matters: school leaders told the board the shift focuses on preventing problems and teaching social‑emotional skills rather than relying primarily on exclusionary discipline. Presenters said restoring students to class and teaching skills such as problem‑solving and conflict resolution helps school climate and learning time.

Manchester Elementary: screening and referral process

Christine Mart, assistant principal at Manchester, described a district‑aligned screening system teachers use three times a year. "We have a screening process ... universal screener, it's done 3 times a year," she said, adding that schools group students for targeted Tier 2 interventions and progress‑monitor every other week.

Manchester staff have formalized a referral packet so that before a student advances toward special‑education referral staff must document interventions and progress data. Mart said the MTSS team meets biweekly and reviews attendance, health, grades and intervention fidelity before recommending further action.

Orchard Heights: Student Support Center for short, scheduled breaks

Chris Christenberry, principal at Orchard Heights Elementary, described a staffed Student Support Center intended to be proactive rather than disciplinary. "Consequences must help the student change their behavior," Christenberry said, explaining the school prioritizes relationship‑based, flexible supports tailored to each student.

The center is staffed by counselors and a paraeducator, Perry Lee, who manages short scheduled or drop‑in breaks (typically about 10 minutes) to help students re‑regulate and practice advocacy. Christenberry said staff set rules to avoid the center becoming a "dumping ground" and limit visits (roughly six students at a time, scheduled in short blocks). Orchard Heights reported growing, positive use; staff said the center had served an increasing number of individual students — "the total number of students is actually topping close to 100" at midyear — with visits intended to keep children in school and reduce discipline incidents.

Sedgwick Middle School: RISE, lunch detention and sensory room

Monica Zuban, principal at John Sedgwick, and Desiree Cave, the building MTSS behavior specialist, described a layered approach. Cave said the school runs a RISE (Restorative In‑School Experience) day program and a restorative lunch detention that require students to complete reflective activities tailored to the behavior that brought them in.

Cave reported early results: "In RISE, 85 percent of students have not returned," and in the restorative lunch detention "91 percent of students don't return." The school also runs small SEL groups, a sensory room used for individualized, therapist‑guided regulation work (typically 1–2 students at a time), and a heavy‑work group for proprioceptive activities.

Staff emphasized parent contact at higher tiers: parents are notified before a student is placed in RISE, and educators said follow‑up emails summarize the work done with the student.

South Kitsap High School: Chance to Change in‑school restorative program

Principal Dave Goodwin and Chance to Change staff Paula Ackert Bigler and Anthony Lewis explained a structured in‑school suspension model that combines supervised academic time with one‑on‑one and group restorative reflection. The program requires students to check in, deposit electronics in a visible lockbox, sit in assigned seats, complete classwork or missing work, and participate in individualized reflection interviews and a final group reflection.

Paula Ackert Bigler described the program’s disciplinary framing: "the fact that they received in school suspension and are participating in the chance to change program is the disciplinary action. So we are not imposing any more discipline on them." The staff said the CTC approach focuses on repairing relationships and teaching skills such as how to structure an apology; Goodwin relayed one student's remark: "She said, 'I've never learned how to apologize.'"

Program data presented by CTC staff showed 164 students participated during the school year to date. Of those, 95 students (about 58 percent) attended once, 69 students (42 percent) attended two or more times, and 12 students (about 7 percent) attended three or more times. Staff said the in‑school placements represented roughly 2,160 hours of school time that otherwise would have been recorded as out‑of‑school suspension and that the placements are recorded as exclusionary discipline in the district system.

Parental engagement and next steps

Presenters across schools said parents are notified and often supportive when students enter Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions. Schools reported they coordinate with counselors, deans and outside partners when additional services are needed. Orchard Heights noted it is exploring an academic version of its Student Support Center if Title funding allows next year; presenters said funding details were not yet specified.

Board action

The board took one procedural vote at the start of the study session: a motion to approve the agenda was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was specified during the session.

What’s next: district staff said the MTSS work will continue through professional learning communities, standardized intervention protocols, and additional data‑tracking tools. Schools asked the board to sustain support for staff time and any required funding so pilot practices can be expanded and evaluated.

Ending

Presenters asked the board to view the programs as evolving pilots: several said the strongest ingredient is consistent adult relationships and staff trained in restorative practices. District presenters said they will return to the board with updates as the MTSS rollout continues.