Jehue Middle School makes history with Platinum PBIS recognition!

William G. Jehue Middle School has made history by becoming the first school in the Rialto Unified School District to earn Platinum Level honors from the California PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Coalition, joining an elite company in this state-wide education honor. 

Led by Principal Carolyn Eide, “the Jaguars” were honored for their commitment to creating a safe, equitable, and positive climate and social culture at the school at the PBIS Showcase ceremony on November 8, 2022. The event, which was held at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga, was hosted by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Office, and more than 200 schools in San Bernardino County were recognized at the 7th Annual Edition of the awards ceremony.  

Jehue Middle School wasn’t alone in earning PBIS honors. Remarkably, every school site in the District earned a PBIS recognition for the 2021-2022 school year. California PBIS Coalition recognizes schools at the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze levels. 

“I am so excited for our students, staff and community to be recognized for their hard work and dedication in creating a school culture that values safety, respect and responsibility,” Eide stated. “Being the first school in the District to receive the highest award given in the implementation of an evidenced-based and culturally relevant multi-tiered system is something that we can all celebrate.”

The award is an impressive accomplishment for the Jaguars. Only 282 schools in all of California and 26 schools in San Bernardino County earned Platinum Level recognition. 

“Jehue Middle School is a place where students not only learn from their teachers but their peers as well,” Jizelle Lopez, an eighth-grade student at Jehue Middle School, said, proudly, while talking about the honor. “Jehue fosters broader dimensions of learning critical to students’ overall success. School climate, a caring staff, community involvement, strong leaders, and a rigorous curriculum are the key factors that determine Jehue’s greatness.”

Ten RUSD Schools earned Gold Level honors, which include: Boyd Elementary School, Casey Elementary School, Curtis Elementary School, Henry Elementary School, Kelley Elementary School, Kolb Middle School, Morris Elementary School, Myers Elementary School, Trapp Elementary School and Werner Elementary School. Sixteen RUSD schools earned Silver Level honors: Bemis Elementary School, Carter High School, Dunn Elementary School, Dollahan Elementary School, Garcia Elementary School, Frisbie Middle School, Fitzgerald Elementary School, Hughbanks Elementary School, Kucera Middle School, Kordyak Elementary School, Milor High School, Morgan Elementary School, Preston Elementary School, Rialto High School, Rialto Middle School and Simpson Elementary School. Eisenhower High School earned a Platinum Level honor to round out a big evening for the RUSD at the PBIS Showcase.

The California PBIS Coalition is a collaborative organization using evidence-based, culturally relevant practices to build the capacity for all stakeholders in the implementation of PBIS as a multi-tiered system following the National PBIS Blueprints for professional development, implementation, and evaluation. The California PBIS Coalition initiated its first statewide effort in 2015 to implement a recognition system to acknowledge schools for implementing PBIS.

RUSD Superintendent Dr. Cuauhtémoc Avila stated that he and the RUSD Board of Education are extremely pleased with the success of the RUSD schools, earning State honors for providing supports for students through positive practices and intervention. Under the leadership of the Board of Education, Dr. Avila has established a strong PBIS program in the RUSD by focusing on restorative measures rather than punitive ones, which lead to better outcomes for students.

Additionally, Teresa Robinson, PBIS Internal Coach/teacher at Jehue Middle School was excited to be a part of the PBIS success, along with Jehue students. Robinson said the team at Jehue Middle School is already hard at work to earn the honor again for the 2022-2023 school year. 

“All of the staff at Jehue has worked hard to bring about Platinum success,” Robinson commented. “As a team, we are excited about this recognition and we remain steadfast in our work to maintain that position.”