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25 ideas to make PBIS a school-wide celebration

Casey BrownMarch 21, 2019

students jumping in a jump rope ladder outside

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has been gaining popularity among schools because of its consistency in teaching students about positive classroom behaviors. Many states now mandate PBIS, and many school districts are also finding success after implementing PBIS practices.

An important part of PBIS is teaching clear behavioral expectations to all students. Once your students have learned and practiced these classroom values, their social and academic growth will improve. 

To help make PBIS a success, schools reward students (and teachers) for their efforts and growth. This may include PBIS rewards ideas for individual students, classrooms, or even entire student bodies. Below are 24 PBIS celebration ideas to help get your school and students motivated.

25 ways PBIS rewards can motivate your students 

These individual prizes can be given to students who demonstrate positive behaviors.

1. Breakfast or lunch with the principal

What better way to reward a student for their good behavior than to give them the privilege of hanging out with the school principal? This is a great treat for students, and they get to have a nice meal and spend time with someone who’s often viewed as their enemy. You may also consider reading the nomination letter in front of the student or class.

2. Name on the announcements and/or “wall of fame”

Students can listen to their name be announced over the school intercom in the morning or have their photo and name added to a special display in the building. This can even be tied into a “Student(s) of the Month” award.

3. Raffle tickets for fun prizes

Many schools offer positive tickets that teachers hand out to students who are demonstrating their school’s core PBIS values. These tickets can then be put into a bin for a chance to win donated prizes. These can include candy, movie tickets, gift cards, and tickets to events like prom or a sports game.

4. Special field trips

Round up all of the PBIS winners for the week (or month) and take them to a special, fun place. Some ideas include bowling, laser tag or putt-putt golf. 

5. VIP privileges

Students get excited to earn special privileges such as prime parking spots or premium seating at sporting events with family members. Students might get to be line leaders or be the first to leave for lunch. Another option is to have a fancy chair in class that only one person can sit in each day.

6. Classroom freebies

Students who behave well in accordance with their school’s PBIS rules can earn free homework passes. They can also drop their lowest quiz score or erase a tardy penalty.

7. Student’s choice

Choice is a powerful (and often absent) element in the classroom. Students can share their choice about what music to listen to during independent work or which story will be heard at story time. 

PBIS classrooms celebration ideas

These group rewards can be given to classes that show exceptionally positive behaviors. A teacher, principal, or any staff member can reward an entire class for making good choices. Here are some incentive ideas to get you started!

1. Food

Let’s face it: kids are always hungry! But snacks are usually off limits during class time. So how about rewarding your class with popcorn, pizza, or donuts for a day? Alternatively, you can designate a day when students can bring in a drink or snack of their choice to eat during class.

2. Games

Students enjoy rewards that allow them to interact and have some friendly competition. Some classes earn a water balloon fight or a tug-of-war competition entry. Bingo, jeopardy, and other educational games are classic options as well. Escape rooms can also offer a fun hour for students to solve problems together and learn more about each other.

3. Chill time

Well-behaved classrooms can relax and enjoy some time off. For this reward, teachers can create movie time or give their students an hour of free (but supervised) technology use. Coloring time and nap time are also popular options among younger students.

4. Classroom of the month

Principals can choose to celebrate one class that’s showing great strides in PBIS accomplishments. This classroom can have a photo on a special display in the school building, including a little bit of information about it and the students.

PBIS school-wide celebration ideas

When the culture of the school starts to evolve and the student body successfully meets the expectations set for it, it’s time to celebrate everyone. Teachers, staff and students can work together to decide on these  PBIS reward ideas.

1. Special assembly

Bring in a musical guest for the entire school to enjoy. Fill the auditorium with students and show a movie on the big screen while they snack on some popcorn. There’s no shortage of assembly options, from zoo visitors bringing in some animals for a visit, to touring children’s theater companies putting on a show. You can even take your students on a field trip to a local park, museum, or other place they’ll enjoy.

2. Faculty versus student competitions

Teachers and students can play against each other as others spectate. Popular games include kickball, volleyball, dodgeball, and basketball.

3. Field day

Dedicate a special day to outdoor activities. Students will be active and have fun with mini-competitions like three-legged races, hula-hoop contests, or any other games you can think of.

4. School dance

Turn the gym into a dance hall for the last hour of the school day. Crank up the music, and let the students move to the beat and have some fun.

5. Music in the hallways

Play music over the intercom during transition times. While they’re between classes or heading to lunch, students will enjoy hearing their favorite (school-appropriate) tunes.

6. Food

For a school-wide food reward, popsicles are a cost-effective option. Snow cone or ice cream cone days can also work quite well.

7. Make the staff do strange things

This seems like an odd idea, but it’s a lot of fun for students. Students get to pick a faculty member to duct tape to the wall during lunch or at a school assembly. They can also choose a teacher to do an ice bucket challenge, host a teacher dance-off or a lip-sync battle. This option works well with teachers who are open minded, but it’s often a good time for everyone involved.

8. “Shopping” for rewards at a PBIS school store

Speaking of choice, giving students the ability to select their reward gives them an important sense of independence. If you have a school store, you can set up a process where students can collect points (or Gold Pieces in Classcraft) for good behavior and spend those points on rewards. Within Classcraft, you can set up an online PBIS school store, and students can “shop” for items, much like the familiar online shopping experience we’re all accustomed to.

children in the classroom working on art project
Photo credit: Pragyan Bezbaruah

PBIS classrooms celebration ideas

These group rewards can be given to classes that show exceptionally positive behaviors. A teacher, principal, or any staff member can reward an entire class for making good choices. Here are some incentive ideas to get you started!

1. Food

Let’s face it: kids are always hungry! But snacks are usually off limits during class time. So how about rewarding your class with popcorn, pizza, or donuts for a day? Alternatively, you can designate a day when students can bring in a drink or snack of their choice to eat during class. Need ideas for healthier food options? Take a look at our list of 18 whole-class, non-junk food rewards.

2. Games

Students enjoy rewards that allow them to interact and have some friendly competition. Some classes earn a water balloon fight or a tug-of-war competition entry. Bingo, jeopardy, and other educational games are classic options as well. Escape rooms can also offer a fun hour for students to solve problems together and learn more about each other.

3. Chill time

Well-behaved classrooms can relax and enjoy some time off. For this reward, teachers can create movie time or give their students an hour of free (but supervised) technology use. Coloring time and nap time are also popular options among younger students.

4. Classroom of the month

Principals can choose to celebrate one class that’s showing great strides in PBIS accomplishments. This classroom can have a photo on a special display in the school building, including a little bit of information about it and the students.

group of student sitting on a football field in circle with their hands raised
Photo credit: Zun Zun

PBIS school-wide celebration ideas

When the culture of the school starts to evolve and the student body successfully meets the expectations set for it, it’s time to celebrate everyone. Teachers, staff and students can work together to decide on these  PBIS reward ideas. 1. Special assembly

Bring in a musical guest for the entire school to enjoy. Fill the auditorium with students and show a movie on the big screen while they snack on some popcorn. There’s no shortage of assembly options, from zoo visitors bringing in some animals for a visit, to touring children’s theater companies putting on a show. You can even take your students on a field trip to a local park, museum, or other place they’ll enjoy.

2. Faculty versus student competitions

Teachers and students can play against each other as others spectate. Popular games include kickball, volleyball, dodgeball, and basketball.

3. Field day

Dedicate a special day to outdoor activities. Students will be active and have fun with mini-competitions like three-legged races, hula-hoop contests, or any other games you can think of.

4. School dance

Turn the gym into a dance hall for the last hour of the school day. Crank up the music, and let the students move to the beat and have some fun.

5. Music in the hallways

Play music over the intercom during transition times. While they’re between classes or heading to lunch, students will enjoy hearing their favorite (school-appropriate) tunes.

6. Food

For a school-wide food reward, popsicles are a cost-effective option. Snow cone or ice cream cone days can also work quite well. Need more ideas? Take a look at our list of 18 whole-class, non-junk food rewards.

7. Make the staff do strange things

This seems like an odd idea, but it’s a lot of fun for students. Students get to pick a faculty member to duct tape to the wall during lunch or at a school assembly. They can also choose a teacher to do an ice bucket challenge, host a teacher dance-off or a lip-sync battle. This option works well with teachers who are open minded, but it’s often a good time for everyone involved.

8. Extra recess

Students love recess (duh!), and they’ll always appreciate even more time to move around, hang out with friends, and catch a break from class.

9. Mix-it-up day

This is a day where students can mingle and sit with students they might not usually get to see. At lunch, students can choose their own seats if there are normally grade-based restrictions, and at a school assembly, students can redeem a seat wherever they’d like. Along the same lines, if there’s a morning meeting, students who’ve been rewarded can choose not to sit with their classrooms.

10. Pajama day

Students can wear their favorite PJs to school. Younger students can introduce their  favorite stuffed animal as well. This is a great way to lighten up the mood and make students feel more comfortable.

11. Hat day/Superhero day/Fancy dress-up day

Students can pick a theme day of their choice for a fun celebration. There are many other options aside from these. Teachers and students will have a great time coming up with creative outfits.

12. Talent show

The student body can take time out of the schedule to support their classmates’ talents. Students can sing songs, act out skits, tell jokes, play instruments, and much more.

13. School competitions

The entire school can participate in tournaments. Classrooms or different grade levels can compete against each other in tug-of-war, dodgeball, and volleyball games. Some schools also have a March Madness bracket competition; the entire school can root for their class as they move through these brackets.

Your goal: Encourage students to keep working on PBIS

There are many PBIS celebration ideas that you can try. Whether you settle on individual, classroom-based, or school-wide rewards, the possibilities are truly endless — students can be recognized for their accomplishments in all sorts of ways! The ultimate goal is to remind and encourage students to keep working hard on their core PBIS values and expectations with school-wide behavior incentives. A little recognition can go a long way to motivate your student body to make good choices and strive to meet expectations!

For more information about implementing a sustainably effective PBIS program, download our PBIS implementation guide today.

Photo credit: Lukas / Pexels.com

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