William Bryant Elementary School - Blue Springs, MO

William Bryant Elementary (WBE) is a Title 1 Targeted Assistance school located in Blue Springs, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. It is a part of the Blue Springs R-IV School District, a k-12 public education system that provides high quality academic programming to families. Five years ago, WBE embarked on a cultural change by adopting the Leader in Me model and Positive Behavior Supports to create a healthy learning environment for its students and families. This approach provided the opportunity for students to become self-directed learners, earn respect, become partners in shared decision making, take ownership in their learning and behavior, have a strong sense of empowerment, and a high level of achievement within and outside the walls of the school.

Implementation of a staff CARE (Children Always Require Excellence) team has made it possible to provide a “safety net” for catching and reacting quickly to the complex challenges encountered by students, including but not limited to academics, attendance, behavior, social/emotional concerns, and/or health needs. In addition, every teacher participates in helping students set and meet goals, provides opportunities for triage, and communicates high expectations. Shared learning opportunities assure that everyone is on the same page and clearly illustrate everything accomplished is for and about the kids. Ultimately, the entire school community does everything possible to help all students achieve success. These strategies permeate the building and promote and reinforce a common theme – "These are our kids!"