Positive Behavioral Interventions and supports (PBIS) has been established district wide as a new program. This helps emphasize proactive strategies for defining, teaching, as well as supporting students to create a positive learning environment.

PBIS has been brought upon so that students no longer received the punishment as before especially when it is used inconsistently. Introducing and enforcing positive behavior is an important step of student’s learning.

La Joya Community High School has taken part in PBIS and has a policy we enforce on campus, which is known, as The P.A.C.K. The P.A.C.K stands for positive, accountable, connected, and knowledgeable. Each student is reminded to be responsible for following these rules as well as knowing them.

When asking teachers such as Scott West here at La Joya if the P.A.C.K can be influential to teachers he responded with, “ Yes, absolutely. P.A.C.K helps us teacher’s keep a reminder of the students to be connected and accountable. It is our job to help keep that mentality.”

West also believes that students should come to school with a positive attitude so that the school’s climate is not negative and tedious throughout the school day.

Each letter in the P.A.C.K is important as they expect you to follow the rules that come with each letter. Being positive wants students to encourage their peers; accountable wants students to be on time and have a good attendance. When students are connected they are being involved as well as supporting all teams and clubs; knowledgeable requires students to be aware of themselves as well as surroundings.

Senior Elizabeth Mendoza finds that the P.A.C.K makes “Teachers stricter on enforcing the rules.”

She also says that the most important feature of the P.A.C.K is Positive. She thinks it provides a better learning environment and shows school spirit by helping others and keeping it a bully-free zone.

The P.A.C.K will help La Joya Community High School improve for this 2015-16 school year.