Pasadena Unified District (Photo – Colorado Boulevard)
Four Pasadena Unified School District schools have earned state recognition for creating positive school environments and providing students with behavioral and social-emotional support.
By News Desk
Madison Elementary, John Muir Early College Magnet High School and Rose City High School received Platinum-level honors. Pasadena High School earned Gold-level recognition from the California PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Coalition.
The awards recognize schools that have created supportive, inclusive and positive learning environments and implemented systems designed to improve student outcomes.
“These awards honor the model work happening in our schools to support students’ social-emotional wellness and recognize the educators, intervention teachers, MTSS coaches, administrators and staff who make that work possible every day,” Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D., said.
“In PUSD, we believe that children learn better when they feel safe, supported and connected. That commitment has guided our work for more than a decade and shaped how we cared for students and families after the Eaton Fire. We continue to prioritize student wellness because it is essential to academic success and how we help every student learn and achieve.”
PUSD’s approach is centered on identifying students’ needs early and providing increasing levels of support. Through its districtwide focus on Behavior Response to Intervention, or RTI, the district uses a proactive, comprehensive and data-driven system to promote positive behavior.
The framework includes life-skills lessons and evidence-based interventions that help students develop skills, respond to challenges and remain engaged in learning.
PBIS practices are designed to build positive school climates. Schools establish clear expectations, such as “Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible,” and teach and recognize those behaviors in classrooms, hallways and playgrounds.
According to the district, this consistency helps students feel supported, reduces disciplinary incidents and improves academic outcomes. The schools receiving recognition demonstrated excellence in implementing these practices with fidelity and impact.
The four PUSD schools will be recognized during the annual California PBIS Conference in October.
Leave a Reply