Positive behavior has its rewards for New Richmond High School students

There’s a new card at New Richmond High School that is earning cool stuff for some students.

There’s a new card at New Richmond High School that is earning cool stuff for some students.

The Pride Card, introduced this school year, is presented to students as a reward for good behavior, according to Assistant Principal Phil Heflin. The good behavior could be anything from turning in homework on time to holding open a door for someone.

The Pride Card is part of the high school’s implementation of the Ohio Department of Education’s Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports program (PBIS). The program is an effective and proactive framework for improving safety, social competence, and academic achievement for all students.

In the first quarter of this school year, New Richmond High School teachers and administrators issued nearly 300 Pride Cards to students.

The cards are turned into the office and the recipients are eligible for weekly drawings, Heflin said. Weekly prizes in the first quarter included invitations to lunch-time grill-outs, complete with cupcakes and brownies, and homecoming tickets.

At the end of the quarter, names were drawn and 30 students were awarded with the big prizes - gift cards.

All Pride Card recipients for the first quarter were treated to an end-of-the-quarter ice cream social.

The end-of-quarter gift cards were donated by teachers, administrators and the Lions Reach Out, Heflin said. A few parents also contributed gift cards to the program.

The PBIS program continues through the school year, Heflin said. Though sustaining a supply of the big rewards is posing a challenge.

The high school is accepting donations to help continue offering nice rewards to students who exhibit positive behaviors. To contribute, contact Patrick Burke, [email protected].

Posted Tuesday, October 29, 2019