Webster Groves Students Promote Positive Behavior

Young people today face more complicated choices—both good and bad—than ever before. How do we help them make the right decisions? How do we reinforce the positive choices that they make? A group of students at Webster Groves High School is doing exactly that with their Positive Student Behavior Group.

The Group is a school-wide program to promote and encourage positive behaviors among students in several critical areas, called The Five Expectations. The expectations are respect, responsibility, involvement, safety and education.

Started by Webster Groves High School counselor, Sally Kilbride—currently on maternity leave—the group is presently supervised by crises counselor, Nicole Wessel. In her third year at Webster Groves High, Wessel has seen a noticeable change in students throughout the school since the positive behavior group was formed.

“There's a greater positive student climate," Wessel said. "Students are following the five expectations. Teachers are commenting that students are responding and they're seeing more positive behavior in their classes. The students love it.”

To promote positive behaviors, each teacher is given 10-15 Spirit Notes—bright orange cards—to hand out to students every day who have demonstrated one of the five expectations. The students can turn in the notes they get and be eligible to win prizes.

“Some prizes are big things like MP3 players.” said Jamie McBurnett, senior and vice-president of the group. “ Any student can win.

As further reinforcement, the winning student for the week gets recognized publicly. “Their name and picture goes on a big board along with what the student did,” McBurnett said. “People look at it and wonder why they're on the board and think they want to be on the board too. Students talk about it.”

Gina Evans, president of the Positive Student Behavior Group (PSBG), concurs. “Once one student gets one, then other kids want one, and it spreads.”

The students who manage and organize the PSBG have seen an effect on themselves as well. “It gave me a place to connect with people,” McBurnett said. “It gave me a way to exercise my organizational skills.”

The PSIB also focuses on current issues facing students, creating awareness of the issues and offering solutions to the students affected.

“Right now we're focused on bullying,” McBurnett said. “It's the big thing. We're trying to get out the word about that and offer solutions to those that are being bullied.

Webster Groves High School provides limited funding for the group and local businesses are helping. Additionally, the group sometimes sells items at large school functions like bracelets, necklaces and clappers. But the program is still facing a financial shortfall.

“Because it's a positive thing, the school helps fund us, but we have to go out and ask businesses to help,” McBurnett said.

The high school is working on ways to boost funds for the program.

“Businesses are willing to give gifts for prizes, but we're writing grants to raise money from parents within the school,” Wessel said. “We're running out of money and we're worried about next year.”

Everyone involved recognizes the benefits of the PSBG and agree that it's a valuable program that needs to continue. Freshman Adam Dempshere sees the benefits of the program simply. “I've been involved with the group almost a year,” Dempshere said. “I find helping is really good and it lets the students feel really positive.”

For more information about the Positive Student Behavior Group, contact Nicole Wessel of Webster Groves High School at 314 -963-6400.