Improve our Children’s Behaviors

Let’s Improve Our Children’s Behavior to Improve Their Lives.The Geneva City Schools are joining together for a new district-wide initiative: A program that rewards students, K-8, for excellence in behavior. This program teaches students what is expected of them, rewards them for good behavior, and promotes that behavior through high school and in to adulthood. Sound like a big undertaking? Not so for teachers and staff at North Street, West Street and Geneva Middle Schools. They are committed improving student behavior with a consistent message of expectations through this new initiative called Panther PAWS.Panther PAWS is a method of positive reinforcement, teaching, recognizing and rewarding good behavior. In essence, it rewards students for getting “caught being good,” above and beyond the norm. PAWS stands for:P – Patience and KindnessA – Academic ExcellenceW – Working TogetherS – Safe and In ControlFirst, we must teach the children what we expect from them; what good behavior is and what it looks like. Examples of good behavior include such things as saying “please” and “thank you”, giving the right of way to others, speaking in a respectful voice, respecting others personal space, being helpful and taking turns. This year, the program will focus on areas with frequent behavioral issues, i.e. cafeteria, hallways, bathrooms and buses.