Vancouver — Patrick Mongrain, a teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, was surprised during the school’s April 18 Honor Roll assembly to be announced a winner of the Farmers Insurance $2,500 Thank America’s Teachers grant.
Farmers worked with Mongrain promoting his grant proposal for implementation of a school-wide behavior system called PBIS, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.
Students at the school are taught positive behaviors via bimonthly school-wide lessons. Teachers also have been trained in positive discipline strategies. Students can earn recognition “tickets” when they are kind, respectful, safe, responsible, and ready to learn. The tickets can be redeemed to participate in activities the students enjoy. The grant will offer Jefferson the ability to provide even more incentives to students who are respectful and responsible at school.
