Position: Behavior Support Specialist (BSS)
What led you to your current position: I've always loved working with children in the school setting. I'm also passionate about social justice issues. Being a BSS, I have the privilege to bring diversity, equity and inclusion issues directly to administrators.
What inspires you to do this work: I am passionate about creating spaces for all children to be their authentic self. I also wanted to support teachers to become more aware of positive behavior interventions to support student success. Being able to sit at the table with the schools administration to create systems for student discipline that move away from harmful zero- tolerance practices that are detrimental to our students is what inspired me to do this work.
What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work or an important lesson you’ve learned in this role: A recent highlight was being able to reduce defiant office referrals from 40 referrals in trimester 1 to 23 referrals in trimester 2. This was possible by addressing the subjective behaviors concerns directly with teachers one to one and during our monthly all staff meetings. I have and will continue to support teachers to increase their awareness around cultural competency, their personal biases, the power and the privilege they have as teachers, and how to use our behavior matrix to ensure office referrals are procedural and not personal. We've got a long way to go but change is Here!!
Share your life motto or something unique about yourself: "I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do." -Jana Stanfield
What led you to your current position: I've always loved working with children in the school setting. I'm also passionate about social justice issues. Being a BSS, I have the privilege to bring diversity, equity and inclusion issues directly to administrators.
What inspires you to do this work: I am passionate about creating spaces for all children to be their authentic self. I also wanted to support teachers to become more aware of positive behavior interventions to support student success. Being able to sit at the table with the schools administration to create systems for student discipline that move away from harmful zero- tolerance practices that are detrimental to our students is what inspired me to do this work.
What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work or an important lesson you’ve learned in this role: A recent highlight was being able to reduce defiant office referrals from 40 referrals in trimester 1 to 23 referrals in trimester 2. This was possible by addressing the subjective behaviors concerns directly with teachers one to one and during our monthly all staff meetings. I have and will continue to support teachers to increase their awareness around cultural competency, their personal biases, the power and the privilege they have as teachers, and how to use our behavior matrix to ensure office referrals are procedural and not personal. We've got a long way to go but change is Here!!
Share your life motto or something unique about yourself: "I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do." -Jana Stanfield
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