Tortolita has been utilizing PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention & Support), which translates into ROARS! on our campus for many years. 

Each letter of ROARS stands for a positive behavior which TMS Staff teach and reinforce to our students daily:

R: Responsibility

O: Ownership

A: Accountability

R: Respect

S: Support

During the first two weeks of school, all teachers on our staff teach a series of lessons designed to illustrate each expectation in general, and for specific areas of the campus such as the cafeteria, library, offices, classrooms, etc.

Our social studies teachers then take their classes on a tour to each of these campus areas and address the specific positive behaviors expected in each area. For example, students in the cafeteria are expected to pick up after themselves.

Students are reinforced for positive behaviors---in other words, we “catch” them doing the right things---and given ROARS scratcher tickets which can be redeemed on Wednesdays during lunch for a variety of prizes ranging from TMS pencils to movie tickets, McDonald’s gift certificates, and ROARS hooded sweatshirts.

The TMS ROARS program has clearly demonstrated the benefits of directly teaching students our expectations, and rewarding them for following our rules for appropriate behavior. This has paid off with a significantly reduced number of discipline incidents on our campus. Go ROARS!