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Mason Middle credits advisory, PBIS and 'Catch Up Cafe' with improved behavior and reading gains
Summary
Mason Middle School principals told the Waterford Board that advisory, a PBIS behavior model and a new "Catch Up Cafe" for students failing multiple classes have coincided with improved NWEA scores and reductions in suspensions.
Mason Middle School administrators on Monday told the Waterford School District Board of Education that a year-long emphasis on advisory, positive behavioral interventions and a new academic support program has produced measurable improvements in both behavior referrals and reading scores.
Stefan Henning, principal of Mason Middle School, said the school restructured its advisory period so students meet for 35 minutes with a teacher from a different grade level to build cross-grade relationships and deliver four core components: social-emotional learning, peer mentorship (WEB), career exploration (EDP) and a PBIS framework. "A positive school climate is associated with improved attendance, heightened engagement, reduced disciplinary incidences, elevated student achievement," Henning said, summarizing the rationale for the changes.
Assistant Principal Cliff Snickin described incentive and reinforcement practices that support the work, including "golden tickets" staff can award students, a tardy patrol that rewards on-time classes, a Mariner of the Month recognition and honor-roll celebrations. Snickin said the school also runs a Device-Day Friday challenge to improve cafeteria behavior and has seen a calmer lunch environment as a result.
Administrators also described the "Catch Up Cafe," a tier-2 intervention for students failing three or more classes. Staff identified students using biweekly pulse reports, limited cafe groups to about 10—12 students during lunch and provided counseling and teacher support so students could complete missing work and return to class with a verified checklist. "If students don't want to be here, we don't chase them down," Snickin said, adding the program is intended as support rather than punishment.
Henning presented assessment and discipline data he said support the changes: an approximately 21-point year-over-year gain in eighth-grade reading on the NWEA measure and declines in disciplinary actions since implementation. "From our initial implementation of PBIS in 2022 to now, 36% reduction in out-of-school suspensions and 29% reduction in in-school suspensions," Henning said, describing the trend he attributed to clearer expectations and classroom-based interventions.
Board members asked about scaling the Catch Up Cafe; Henning said it currently runs Mondays and Wednesdays and that expanding it would require additional space and staffing, though parental interest is strong. The presentation closed with an invitation for board members and the public to visit Mason to observe classroom climates and cafeteria operations.
The board did not take action on the presentation; administrators said data and programming would inform ongoing planning and the district's strategic goals.
