Wilson Middle leaders tell Hamilton City board PBIS, teaming drove drops in suspensions and expulsions

Wilson Middle School principal Jesse Weisbrode told the Hamilton City School Board on Feb. 27 that a renewed teaming structure and a schoolwide PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program have helped reduce student disciplinary actions and boost student engagement.

“We strive for excellence each and every day,” Principal Jesse Weisbrode said while introducing the school’s office staff, educational assistants and the PBIS approach. He asked the board to recognize “the heart of our building” — front office and educational-assistant staff — for their role in daily operations and student safety.

The update outlined how the school organized students into six teams (three seventh-grade teams and three eighth-grade teams) that compete on academics, attendance and behavior. Mr. Beaulieu, a Wilson staff member who described the teaming structure, said the school uses team competitions and weekly advisory activities to give every student “a sense of belonging.”

Administrators cited multiple discipline metrics they said improved after the new teaming and PBIS emphasis: discipline referrals fell “almost 10%” from the previous school year; in-school suspension (BIC) incidents dropped about 29%; and expulsions were “less than half” of the prior year’s number, according to material presented to the board.

“The data speaks for itself,” Mr. Beaulieu said, arguing the PBIS system contributed to the declines in referrals and suspensions. The board and administrators linked lower suspension and expulsion counts with students spending more time in class and increased opportunities for learning.

The presentation also described student-led and service activities. Gabby Tagliamonte, the school’s National Junior Honor Society advisor, described NJHS fundraising and community service: students painted window displays for a local YMCA partner, ran bake sales and concession stands, and conducted an Angel Tree fundraiser that allowed students to shop for 15 families representing 41 children across the district.

Brandon Taylor, a teacher at Wilson, summarized the school’s involvement in the Patriot Pen essay contest run by the VFW: he identified a first-place winner (Mabel, $500) and a second-place winner (Juliana Hendershot, $450) from Wilson; he said the school placed highly in the local district contest.

Melissa Grable described a pilot “Adopt a Classroom” program that partnered Wilson eighth-grade U.S. history classes with local employers including Kettering Health, Miami University and Arby’s. Grable said partners visit monthly to coach students on applications, interviews and resumes and to provide hands-on demonstrations (for example, an anatomy activity and exposure to hospital departments). She said the program aims to expand if the pilot continues.

A Hamilton High student, Ashlyn Blevins, read a winning essay on Black women’s service in World War II. Blevins described one unit’s processing of mail during the war and cited figures in her essay about the unit’s workload and its effect on morale. “They worked 24 hours a day split into three 8-hour shifts … They ended up processing roughly 17,000,000 pieces of mail,” Blevins said in her presentation.

Board members praised the Wilson staff’s focus on culture and recognition. Dr. Kopas and other board members said the school’s emphasis on celebrating routine student work and supporting unsung staff contributed to the improved climate and outcomes reported by administrators.

The presentation closed with board members thanking staff and students and congratulating essay winners and volunteers. No formal board action or policy vote accompanied the presentation.