By Christopher Sacco, Staff Writer
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP There’s going to be a whole lot of trading going on at Bordentown Regional High School this year and, right now, the market is up along with the gains.
The gains come in the form of positive behavior, respect for colleagues, accountability and self-respect.
The Positive Behavior Support in Schools (PBSIS) project implemented this month trades transferable points for positive behavior.
With enough points for constructive behavior a student might trade his points for a parking pass, for example.
Teachers also earn points by the number of point-tickets they give out and might trade them for a cup of coffee delivered to them by the principal.
The reward suggestions were collected in a survey of students and teachers last year and have yet to be finalized.
BRHS is one of approximately 80 schools in New Jersey participating in PBSIS. The project focuses on the positive things that the students and staff do.
Using this philosophy, the goal is to instruct students on what is expected of them through positive reinforcement, which takes the form of rewards and incentives.
BRHS guidance counselor Jodie Glenn said the program has, thus far, contributed to a “fantastic start to the school year.”
According to Ms. Glenn, students will be recognized when they behave in a way that improves the social climate within the community and exemplifies the program’s theme: Respect Yourself and Others, Be Accountable, and Aspire Higher.
The example she gives is that a student may be given a reward ticket from his teacher when taking on a leadership role within a group. Once the student has accumulated a certain number of these tickets, they can be traded in to purchase rewards.
While the system for trading in the tickets is still being ironed out, the possible rewards include a pass that allows students to not change for gym class one day, a parking pass for seniors, or the ability to listen to their iPods at certain points during the day.
These rewards were chosen based on a survey that the students filled out a year ago and are designed to motivate them. In addition to these positive reinforcement aspects of the program, there is also a system in place that will allow students with persistent behavioral problems to be worked with on a closer level.
Ms. Glenn, who is referred to as PBSIS’s “coach,” considers the program to be a success thus far.
”The kids and staff are really open to the program,” she said, adding that one teacher has even told her she’s never heard so many “pleases” and “thank-yous” before.
In terms of the program’s long-term success, Ms. Glenn said that the school’s discipline data for this year will be a major factor in evaluating it. At the end of the school year, office referral and detention data will be collected and compared with last year’s information to see if progress has been made.
This will not be the sole determining factor regarding the success of the program, however, and both students and staff will be asked to fill out surveys throughout the year to help evaluate the program’s progress.
After submitting her annual Violence and Vandalism Report during the Sept. 15 Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Constance Bauer cited the PBSIS program as one of the tools the district is using to improve the ways students interact with one another. The report stated that there were 45 fights or physical confrontation incidents in the district last year, a figure that Dr. Bauer says is average, but is something that can always be improved upon.
The PBSIS program makes the highs school staff eligible for rewards. Every time a teacher hands out a ticket, his or her name is included on it along with the student’s. While the exact reward structure for the staff is yet to be determined, it depends on the number of tickets a teacher gives out.
Just like the students, the staff’s rewards are based on a survey taken last year and include things like an extra prep period throughout the day.
Ms. Glenn also speculates that there may be one or two “reversal days” throughout the year, where students will be able to give tickets out to their teachers.

