The School Reward System Ideas Your School Needs Right Now

You have limited time, limited resources, and your students have limited motivation. Don't worry, we got you!
By 
Jordan Pruitt
 | 
September 8, 2022

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

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The School Reward System Ideas Your School Needs Right Now

You have limited time, limited resources, and your students have limited motivation. Don't worry, we got you!
By 
Jordan Pruitt
 | 
September 8, 2022
Your PBIS Team has been established. Your expectations are set and you have a solid lesson plan to deliver your expectations to your kiddos. Even though your structures are set, your team is constantly overwhelmed with month-to-month work.

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.
Your PBIS Team has been established. Your expectations are set and you have a solid lesson plan to deliver your expectations to your kiddos. Even though your structures are set, your team is constantly overwhelmed with month-to-month work.

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

quote icon
Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

The School Reward System Ideas Your School Needs Right Now

You have limited time, limited resources, and your students have limited motivation. Don't worry, we got you!
By 
Jordan Pruitt
 | 
September 8, 2022

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

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We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

About the Presenter

Jordan resides in Lexington, Kentucky. He has experience in Public Education as an Administrator, Science Teacher, and as a Coach. He has extensive experience with School Discipline, PBIS, SEL, Restorative Practices, MTSS, and Trauma-Informed Care.

About the Event

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

Register Now

About the Event

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

Arrow left
Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

Your PBIS Team has been established. Your expectations are set and you have a solid lesson plan to deliver your expectations to your kiddos. Even though your structures are set, your team is constantly overwhelmed with month-to-month work.

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

All Reward Ideas for Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Rolling Chair Rental
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Passing Period Music
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Design the Bulletin Board
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Principal for a Day
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Awards Show Afterparty
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Gift Cards
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Color a Teacher’s Hair
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Seating Choice
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Pie a Teacher
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Talk Time
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Firebird of the Month
Grades K-12
Student
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
The Love Soiree
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Classroom DJ
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Uber by a Principal
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free

All Reward Ideas for Elementary School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Sweatshirt
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch with an Admin
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Read Across America
Grades K-8
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Books
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Passing Period Music
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
School Assembly
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Final Fridays
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Holidays Around the World
Grades K-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Seat Swap
Grades 3-5
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Firebird of the Month
Grades K-12
Student
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Trunk or Treat
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Silly Science Experiments
Grades K-5
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Loudspeaker Shoutout
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Q&A
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free

All Free Reward Ideas for Schools

🎉
👑
🎁
Brain Break
🎉
👑
🎁
The Big Ticket
🎉
👑
🎁
Show & Tell
🎉
👑
🎁
Seat Swap
🎉
👑
🎁
Camp Read Away
🎉
👑
🎁
Operate Equipment.
🎉
👑
🎁
Parking Spots
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Fast Pass
🎉
👑
🎁
Play Games
🎉
👑
🎁
Class Jobs
🎉
👑
🎁
Meme Party
🎉
👑
🎁
Follow a Friend
🎉
👑
🎁
Vote

All Reward Ideas for High School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Technology
Grades 6-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Q&A
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Holidays Around the World
Grades K-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Seating Choice
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Holiday Delivery
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Snacks
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Hat Pass
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Locker Choice
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Game-Based Simulation Learning
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
School Dance
Grades 9-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Graduation Celebration
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Reservations
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Parking Spots
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Dance Party
Grades K-12
Student
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
The Big Ticket
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free

All Reward Ideas for Middle School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Dance Party
Grades K-12
Student
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
School Spirit Day
Grades K-12
School
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Graduation Celebration
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Cut the Principal’s Tie
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
♟️Chess With the Principal
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Glow Party
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Digital Escape Rooms
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Anime Themed Party
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Field Trip
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Board Game Party
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Talk Time
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Rolling Chair Rental
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher v Student Competition
Grades 6-12
School
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Food-Themed Party
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Old School Cookout
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe

All Student Reward & Incentive Ideas

💰
🎨
Trip to the Treasure Box
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Principal for a Day
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Teacher for the Day
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Operate Equipment.
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Lunch Fast Pass
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Hat Pass
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Class Pet
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Deluxe
💰
🎨
Snacks
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Teacher Serenade
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Vote
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
School Supplies & Merch
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
💰
🎨
Movie Posters
Grades 3-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Teacher v Student Competition
Grades 6-12
School
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Dress Up or Down Day
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Talk Time
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free

All Virtual Reward Ideas for Schools

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The School Reward System Ideas Your School Needs Right Now

You have limited time, limited resources, and your students have limited motivation. Don't worry, we got you!
By 
Jordan Pruitt
 | 
September 8, 2022
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Your PBIS Team has been established. Your expectations are set and you have a solid lesson plan to deliver your expectations to your kiddos. Even though your structures are set, your team is constantly overwhelmed with month-to-month work.

They are knee-deep in logistical issues. Always stuck in the brainstorming phase. They meet regularly but don’t have time to discuss discipline data with enough meaning to enact lasting change. 

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

You need your team to have the time to be your solution center. So where is the time going and how do we get it back? 

If that scenario is true of your team, it likely means they are flexing all of their creative muscles on rewards. Well isn’t that the point of PBIS tiers

Yes, and no. 

Yes, we want to reward students for meeting expectations. Yes, we want those rewards to be meaningful, so yes you need to put some thought and manpower into them. 

But no, they should not be consuming all of your team's time. If you are always recreating the wheel, it’s tough to improve the engine. 

You need to do what all great organizations do; systemize it

You need a reward system. 

What is a Reward System and Why You Need One

A system is a set of principles or structures according to which something is done. We travel in this country via our transportation system. The connected roads and highways that piece our lands together. Without it, we would be constantly searching for new paths to the same old places.

Being an explorer or trailblazer certainly has some appeal to it. But in our transportation analogy, if everyone was a trailblazer we would never actually settle down and build anything. 

No beautiful towns. No great cities. No lovely vacation spots. Just the constant “new place”. 

This same trap is easy to fall into when planning rewards for your school. You run a successful reward in September, then your team brainstorms a new one for October. You create a great semester-long reward, then next semester you plan a new one. 

This constant innovation requires a lot of work. You need some basic principles to build upon so you can make small tweaks and not always be building the plane as you fly it.

By investing some time early on with your team you can decide upon some guidelines under which all future rewards can fall into. Not only is this a time-saver, but in a school, with any degree of attrition, it can be a program saver

You don’t want to lose your PBIS program because a teacher moved away to a new district. You want to continue what was built. You can now adequately budget and fundraise for your program because you know the costs. 

Also once you establish a system, your team will have more time to review discipline data and thus more time to brainstorm solutions to your school's trouble spots. That is in my opinion the greatest advantage of implementing PBIS in your school. 

You have built in a data-driven approach to discipline review and behavior management. But none of that is possible if all of your meetings are spent discussing who is scheduling the ice cream truck. 

Keep reading for some basic foundational concepts you should include in your system.

How To Optimize Your System

1. A School Reward App

You need to leverage technology to organize your system. Try LiveSchool for a great behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

Adopt a platform that enables your vision for school-wide values, staff and student relationships, and family engagement.

2. Define Your Data

We are data rich but often data-analysis poor in education. Define what matters to your school and track those things. Don’t get lost rebooting what matters every month or year.

3. Rewards Calendar

Look at your school year calendar. Block off approved times for individual, class, team, and school-wide rewards. 

This needs to happen early, preferably on a summer workday so you don’t overbook times throughout the year.

4. Logistical No-go’s

Every school has a list of non-negotiables. Define yours. If you never mess with your lunch block, don’t waste time trying to plan things for that time that will just go unapproved. 

5. Keeper of the Lists

Designate someone on your team to keep the “good idea list”. This is gold because some of the best stuff is off-topic or out of place. 

But if you don’t have a way to capture it you can derail entire meetings and put off things that need to be done.

Somebody has a good idea but it's off the agenda? Put it on the list for discussion next time.

6. Organizational Chart

Define your roles. In every reward, somebody needs to collect data, create messaging, design logistics for staff, and secure resources. Define who does those things.

7. Approved Vendors and Partners

This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

8. Storage and Inventory

Designate a place in your building to store leftover supplies from previous rewards so you don’t waste time searching or ordering more than you need.

9. Staples 

Plan a few bread-n-butter rewards your team can execute every year. Plan them well and keep your plans. These are your staples.

10. Train Your Replacement

This is huge. Every member of your team has a role. Have each member teach a colleague how they do what they do.

If you have one team member in charge of data collection, make certain he teaches someone else how to do that. 

If a valuable team member leaves or retires, your system needs to carry on.

Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough Systems Do

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation. 

But like anything else, if you don’t systemize it you will be constantly creating it. Create your system and then you can choose rewards for elementary, middle, or high.

All Reward Ideas for Students

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See all Rewards

Want more ideas?

Rewards that Rock 🎸 has 100+ rewards, incentives, and event ideas to build your school culture.
Find Rewards
Learn more about the author, 
Jordan Pruitt
 

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