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Laconia district rolls out staff-incentive tied to MTSSB and Wayfinder aims to boost morale and Tier 1 outcomes
Summary
District wellness staff presented a new, districtwide staff-incentive program that uses recognition tickets, weekly raffles and a choice board to reward predictable Tier 1 practices; presenters said the program seeks to raise staff collaboration and reach 80% Tier 1 student outcomes by 2028.
Laconia School District wellness staff on March 3 outlined a new staff-incentive initiative meant to support district implementation of MTSSB (Multitiered System of Supports for Behavior) and the Wayfinder social-emotional curriculum.
Presenters from the office of school wellness described a system of recognition tickets distributed at each building for staff behaviors that support a positive environment. Staff members who earn tickets turn them into their office for a small immediate token (the presenters showed district “Laconia Pride” pens) and are entered into a weekly raffle to pick from a choice board of rewards ranging from jeans days to duty coverage.
“This is going to be recognizing any staff member…not just teachers,” said the presenters, explaining that nominations are intended to be accessible to custodians, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals and parents who support school routines. The program includes team- and building-level options so that recognition can be shared across staff groups.
Angela Valancort, the middle school librarian, described a successful middle-school pilot built around a mascot called Penny and a nomination Google form. “I’m Angela Valancort. I’m the librarian at the middle school,” she told the board, and said the program led to shirts for nominees and a rotating winner who holds Penny for the month. Valancort said a kitchen worker who was nominated described the recognition as “one of the best things that had ever happened to her, and she was over the moon.”
Presenters cited preliminary data from the middle-school pilot: staff well-being and feeling-valued measures improved by roughly 18–24 percentage points on some items, staff attendance and student attendance increased, and major office-discipline referrals were reported to be down about 20.5% compared with the prior year. Presenters framed the incentive as one tool to help the district meet a stated goal of having 80% of students at Tier 1 by 2028.
The board did not take an immediate vote on the incentive itself; presenters illustrated flyers and the choice board and said universal teams will roll out staff recognition across buildings this month. The district asked schools to submit local implementation preferences so rewards can be tailored without creating barriers to participation.
The board moved on to committee reports and other agenda items; presenters and board members said they will return with any requested clarifying information in a future meeting.
