Imagine being a student in a school where:

• All the adults (teachers, bus drivers, administrators, after-school staff) work hard to develop relationships.
• Behavioral expectations are consistent and taught in a way that makes sense.
• Misbehaviors are viewed as teachable moments and responses help build responsibility.

Such an experience was the goal of the summer professional development series provided last August 20-24. Through the combined funding of an Evjue mini-grant ($4730), an Aristos grant ($2500), and a grant through The Foundation for Madison Public Schools ($10,000), a six-session series with noted presenter Corwin Kronenberg (pictured) was planned for an array of different target audiences. Kronenberg, the author of the Above the Line model for supporting student behavior, had provided smaller-scale trainings during the two previous summers.

Two full-day presentations were provided for high school and middle school staff, with over 160 secondary educators in attendance. A full-day elementary introductory session (over 140 staff) was followed by a full-day elementary advanced presentation (160 staff). An introductory parent meeting was offered during one evening, but a tornado warning impacted attendance (around 50 participants). Finally, a shorter workshop was arranged with transportation services for around 60 bus drivers.

All of the sessions offered practical ideas, well-tested strategies, and humorous stories. Evaluations from all audiences were exceedingly positive, with many staff asking for follow-up sessions in the future. Many schools organized representative teams and have since implemented school-wide approaches based upon the Above the Line model. The hope is that as more adults adopt the philosophy, language, and strategies in the model, the imaginative experience described above will become a reality.