Lafayette Parish School System is in south central Louisiana, approximately 55 miles west of the state capital, Baton Rouge.
It’s the sixth largest and second most diverse school system in the state, with approximately 4,100 employees and nearly 31,000 students – 18% of whom have exceptionalities.
Lafayette Parish School System has nearly 31,000 students – 18% of whom have exceptionalities.
PositivityLafayette Parish School System’s vision is “to continue to provide excellence in education for all students,” and their mission states they are “committed to developing productive citizens prepared to compete in a global community.”
Broussard Middle School
Broussard Middle School is one of 11 middle schools in the Lafayette Parish School System. The school handbook says their students have the right to an “environment which promotes learning for all students,” and it is the school’s responsibility “to ensure their actions do not disrupt the classroom environment or school activities.”
The challenge
Before they started using Positivity, Broussard Middle School faced issues of elopement, and some students were behaving in a way that could cause them harm. Other students had difficulties during transitions, and some had problems communicating their feelings in an acceptable way.
“The district’s primary goal was to reduce suspensions and expulsions through the implementation of a structured discipline matrix that all staff members must follow when dealing with student disciplinary matters,” said Melinda Perrodin, a special education teacher at Broussard Middle School.
The district held staff training on behavior management, to target certain behaviors and provide data for IEP teams. Teachers used this training to create their own strategies to use with their students, like visual schedules.They were also trained on de-escalation techniques to help students’ self-regulation skills. And behavior facilitators were employed throughout the district to support a safer learning environment for all.
But to go further, Broussard Middle School needed a behavior management solution that would:
- Save teachers time
- Help them create customizable strategies to reach a wide range of learners’ needs
- Assist staff in teaching self-regulation skills
- Support learners during transitions in the classroom
[The] district’s primary goal was to reduce suspensions and expulsions through the implementation of a structure discipline matrix that all staff members must follow when dealing with student disciplinary matters.”
The solution
Melinda needed a simple, digital solution that would mean no more printing and laminating strategies. When considering Positivity, she realized it “enables teachers to create tailored classroom schedules that match their day, [and] students can access these schedules on their devices or the teacher’s interactive whiteboard.”
She also was looking for support teaching self-regulation and found that Positivity does this, using Decision Trees and Social Narratives, covering a wide range of topics for classroom discussion. She believed the on-demand Breathe Strategy and ease of recording behaviors, achievements, and incidents would be invaluable to her students’ success.
How Positivity helped
Positivity provided Broussard Middle School with the solution for effective behavior management, no matter the school setting. Melinda and others at the school completed Positivity’s built-in Smart Start implementation course, which she described as “exceptionally informative and instrumental in equipping me with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully integrate Positivity into my classroom.”
Positivity serves as a valuable tool for teachers like [me], enabling us to reinforce appropriate behavior within the classroom."
The results
Melinda stated: “Positivity has played a pivotal role in fostering success within the school environment for my students.” Learners are empowered to take ownership of their emotions through the proactive approach of Positivity. This “contributes to a more harmonious classroom environment” where students’ rights and responsibilities are being fulfilled.
Melinda feels the tool has “enabled her to reinforce appropriate behaviors within the classroom.” Positivity’s Alarms, Social Narratives, Decision Trees, and various evidence-based strategies let her spend more time doing what she loves – being with her students – and less time creating materials for each individual.
Lafayette Parish School System and Everway continue to strengthen their partnership. A number of our solutions play a critical role in supporting the continuous growth exhibited by students educated throughout the district.
Positivity has played a pivotal role in fostering success within the school environment for my students."
About Positivity
Keeping students focused on learning is no easy task. Turn to Positivity, our online behavior solution, to promote self-regulation and wellness in any environment. Start with the Core Behavior Profile to inform each student’s present levels and behavior change decisions. You’ll also get a library of prosocial premade and customizable strategies to deliver on‑demand or on a schedule. During the school day and beyond, students can proactively apply strategies that offer replacement behaviors and support functional communication, boosting academic progress and independence.
