Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Behavior Foundations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District describes Foundations learning walks, cites reduced behavior referrals
Summary
District administrators described 'Foundations' learning walks used across buildings to monitor behavior supports; leadership reported about a 15% reduction in behavior referrals and outlined next steps including monthly foundations team meetings and summer professional development with consultant Tricia Skiles.
Mister Hamilton presented the district’s Foundations learning‑walk work—part of the district’s universal behavior tier—telling the board the effort reached every building between October and December and will continue in the second semester.
Hamilton said Foundations is the district’s universal behavior framework, paired with CHAMPS for classroom expectations and aligned with the district’s MTSS (Multi‑Tiered System of Supports). The learning walks are scheduled twice a year, and each visit includes an archive review, common area observations (about 20 minutes), classroom “basic five” observations (15 minutes), student and staff interviews, and a structured feedback form the Foundation team uses to identify celebrations and gaps.
He described participation and roles at a walk: a district administrator assigned to each building, building administrators, behavior consultants and a school foundation team of roughly four to ten members. Schools set the agenda for visits; district staff provide materials and follow up feedback. Hamilton noted the district expects each school to implement and collect data on procedures in at least two common areas (for example lunchrooms, hallways, arrival/dismissal).
Hamilton highlighted results: districtwide behavior referrals have fallen “significantly,” and the most recent metric he cited was about a 15% reduction compared with prior reporting; he said individual schools vary, with some showing larger gains. He emphasized the cycle of continuous improvement driven by school teams and said foundation teams meet at least monthly. The district’s MTSS team also meets monthly to review school and district data.
Hamilton named Tricia Skiles as a consultant who has worked with the district and said staff plan a summer academy or focused professional development where foundations teams will work with Skiles. He closed by describing scheduled second‑semester learning walks and offering to answer questions from the board.
During board Q&A members asked about observation timing, the 3:1 positive‑to‑corrective interaction expectation in classrooms, student interviews and the district’s measures of safety and productivity in common areas. Hamilton said the learning walks are intended to monitor and celebrate classroom and school progress and to provide district support where gaps remain.
No formal board action was taken during the presentation; Hamilton described implementation and next steps rather than proposing a new policy or budget in the meeting.
