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Banning Unified highlights PBIS school awards; student board member warns of senior burnout
Summary
Board and staff celebrated PBIS recognitions and school achievements while student board member Mary Adefe Brito told trustees that a small survey showed half of top seniors reported feeling burnt out, urging increased wellness outreach and student check-ins.
Banning Unified trustees on Oct. 9 recognized multiple schools for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) achievements and heard extended presentations about student engagement and supports.
Dr. Kazi Bush introduced PBIS recognitions for several elementary and secondary sites, explaining the tiered fidelity inventory used to award gold, platinum and silver levels. Trustees and union leaders congratulated the schools for the work that contributed to improved campus climate.
Dr. Thomas, principal of Nicolette Middle School, presented a detailed account of his campus' strategies tied to PBIS and related practices. He reported that "our ADA was just under 93%," said suspensions had dropped from 16.2% to 7% and that expulsions were down to "0.1%." Thomas credited interventions such as mediations, an alternative-to-suspension program and a "pack track" system for improving attendance and behavior.
Student leaders also spoke. Eudice Morales, Nicolette's ASB president, and Jasmine Verduzco of Coombs/ New Horizons High School described recent campus events, college-and-career activities and safety preparations. Lillian Andres reported on homecoming-week activities at Banning High.
Student board member Mary Adefe Brito said she conducted two surveys—one sent to the general student body (43 responses) and one to top seniors (20 responses)—and reported that "among top seniors, 50 percent reported feeling burnt out," compared with about 23 percent of the general student body. Brito recommended routine wellness check-ins and better publicity for the district wellness center so students know it is available. She said she dropped an AP class to prioritize her mental health and asked the board to consider ways to support students through college-application stress and study-hall access.
Superintendent Davis and trustees acknowledged the concerns and noted ongoing supports and opportunities to engage students and families; no immediate policy change was adopted during the meeting.
The board praised student engagement, field trips and extracurriculars and thanked staff and volunteers for supporting campus safety and instructional goals.
