By implementing DeansList, LaKisha Hoffman and Caliber Beta Academy have transformed their Four Pillars into a behavior system that allows students to grow in a positive and productive environment, keeps parents well informed, and helps administrators react nimbly and effectively to any issue.
CHALLENGE
Caliber Beta Academy, located in Richmond, California, needed a system that would help cultivate their core values in students and teachers while allowing parents and administrators to track student progress towards culture goals and provide interventions where necessary.
LaKisha Hoffman, Director of School Culture and Social and Emotional Learning at Caliber, used DeansList to create a customized behavior system that both reflects the values of the school and allows students to grow in a positive and productive environment.
BACKGROUND
Caliber Beta Academy was in the midst of a big transition. During the previous year, the school had transformed itself from a single K-8 academy into separate K-5 and 6-8 schools. Behavior problems were on the rise and the school lacked a system to address them. Major incidents were logged, but follow-up with both students and parents was inconsistent. The school knew the values they wanted to promote, but without a system in place, they struggled to implement them.
IMPLEMENTATION
Using DeansList, LaKisha Hoffman took Caliber Beta Academy’s core values, called the Four Pillars, and turned them into a complete behavior system that focuses on positive reinforcement and student growth. “I had an idea of what I wanted school culture to be, what it would look like, and I thought, ‘This can happen using this platform,’” says Hoffman.
The Four Pillars at Caliber are HEART, SMART, THINK and ACT.
Using DeansList, Hoffman turned these Pillars into observable behaviors and created Pillar Points. By focusing on positive behavior and rewarding Pillar Points when students enact the Pillars, DeansList enables Caliber to acknowledge and reward students when they embody the school’s values.
Every month, the twenty students with the most Pillar Points in each grade level are invited to a Pillar Party where their positive behavior is celebrated with rewards like donuts, movies, or a cereal bar full of their favorites.
Hoffman believes that “students do well if they can.” So for students who have trouble enacting the Four Pillars, she created a Deduction system using DeansList. If a student accrues five Deductions, they attend Culture Extension where students are able to work on the skill gap that keeps them from living up to any of the Four Pillars.
However, if DeansList sees that a student receives five Deductions from the same teacher, instead of Culture Extension, a collaborative problem-solving session is scheduled, where the student and teacher can meet one-on-one and together work out the issue. By focusing on the root of a problem, DeansList allows Caliber to help their students turn potential troubled behavior into strength-building.
Of course, a student’s education isn’t complete without involving their family. Through DeansList, Caliber offers a Family Portal that provides weekly reports updating parents on their students’ progress -- how many Pillar Points they’ve earned, areas of growth, if any interventions were necessary, and what Caliber is doing to support the student. Through the Family Portal, teachers and parents are able to share information, communicate, and track student progress over time.
Beyond DeansList’s impact on individual students, the platform offers Hoffman the ability to observe an entire grade and recognize areas that need improvement. Once a week, she meets with Grade Level Leads, and using data from DeansList, they are able to spot behavior trends across an entire grade and address any broader issues before they become real problems.
CONCLUSION
Despite a difficult transition, since implementing DeansList, Caliber has seen behavior problems decrease and in the last year zero suspensions were issued. Hoffman couldn’t be happier, “I love DeansList. I’ve been telling everybody ‘It’s the best thing ever!’”
By implementing DeansList, LaKisha Hoffman and Caliber Beta Academy have transformed their Four Pillars into a behavior system that allows students to grow in a positive and productive environment, keeps parents well informed, and helps administrators react nimbly and effectively to any issue. Thanks to DeansList and Hoffman’s dedication, Caliber students have the support they need to reach their full potential.
