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STRUTHERS -- The Struthers City School District has been rewarded for its reinforcement of positive behavior yet again.
Monday morning, Struthers announced that it had received Bronze Recognition Awards for the Ohio Department of Education's Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Systems.
Struthers Elementary School, won the award for the fourth consecutive year, while the middle school and high school were recognized for the third and second consecutive years, respectively.
"Our culture is grounded in PBIS values, and it is the heart of our school system," Sarah Herrholtz, student achievement director at Struthers City Schools and lead coordinator of its PBIS programming said. "It makes our district a special place to learn and work, and gives us a unique advantage."
Struthers recently developed a district-wide "Struthers Culture Playbook," which outlines positive behavior and academic achievements. The "Wildcat Way" implements behavior expectations by outlining its three core beliefs, "Be Responsible, Be Elite and Be Dedicated." The culture also is reinforced throughout the district with incentives, including a point system in which students can receive "Wildcat Win" cards for demonstrating positive behaviors. Those cards translate into points that can be used for Struthers gear, treats, books and other items.
"Our main goal for incorporating the Wildcat Way into everything we do, is to encourage students to strive to be the best version of themselves at all times," Herrholtz said.
The PBIS team at Struthers is made up of leads, which include building principals and a lead staff member at each building. They meet regularly to make decisions about improving student behaviors and identifying opportunities to promote positive school culture.
"Our PBIS team has been wonderful at identifying opportunities to encourage and implement the Wildcat Way, including our Big Cat Little Cat Mentorship Program, in which our older students get involved with leading enrichment activities for our younger students," Herrholtz said. "Whether it's through our once-a-month 'Wildcat Wednesday special themed programming, or our participation in campaigns such as the recent Stay in the Game Attendance Awareness initiative, we are always looking for ways to provide a positive environment for our students."