April 02, 2025 — In Columbus City Schools (CCS), positive change is no longer just a goal—it’s becoming the standard. At the District’s annual PBIS Showcase Award Celebration, 69 schools were honored for their commitment to positive change and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a framework that creates safe, supportive learning environments.

“PBIS has given our school systems and structures that help us to make decisions around students' lives that make an impact across all areas of their lives,” said Como Elementary School Counselor Carrie Ploude. “If a student is seeking attention, we provide solid relationships. If a student needs movement for regulation, we provide them the time and space to get their brains ready for learning.”

District-wide, PBIS drives significant progress. Columbus City Schools have seen fewer discipline referrals, less chronic absenteeism, and improved student behavior. Como Elementary, one of six schools earning Gold recognition, reflects this success, reporting fewer than 10 suspensions this year after fully integrating restorative practices, daily check-ins, and emotional regulation strategies.

“Every behavior has a reason behind it,” Plourde said. “Once our building got into the habit of finding the ‘why’ inside of every child, we started seeing huge changes in the ways our students handle themselves on a daily basis, both in social and academic situations.”

Data from Panorama Student Surveys supports the impact of PBIS. In the school year 2023-2024 climate ratings rose by 1%, emotion regulation increased by 1%, and student growth mindset jumped by 5% across the District with more CCS campuses receiving state recognition than ever before, reflecting an ongoing commitment to whole-child initiatives like social-emotional learning, restorative practices, and trauma-informed approaches.

“We were very excited when we got the information that we won Gold status,” said Watkins Elementary Principal, Caroline Walker. “This is our second year in a row, and we're very proud of that. [Students] recognize the change and feel of the culture of the building. The PBIS team has worked very hard to make sure that we've had extra support for our students, and that has made a significant impact on the development of the kids.”

In-school counselors and a dedicated PBIS team will offer training, coaching, and innovative strategies to keep schools aligned and accountable. Staff implement interventions, such as PAX, which takes a student-centered approach and allows students to identify and co-create a positive classroom environment with their teacher and peers. When implemented school-wide, PAX enhances consistency by providing shared language and strategies across the entire school building. 

“[Watkins Elementary] was able to build all of the support that we have from implementing the PAX program building wide,” said Watkins Elementary School Psychologist, Dr. Amy Bremer. “When we integrated PAX into our PBIS, it really naturally grew from there and we were able to have that solid foundation and then build on with tired intervention to connect everything together.”

The PBIS Showcase Awards recognize schools at three distinct levels—Gold, Silver, and Bronze—based on how effectively they’ve implemented proactive behavioral support. Each level represents clear progress toward creating healthier, safer learning environments. Below are the schools earning these honors, demonstrating their dedication to building positive school cultures across Columbus City Schools.

“I'm tremendously proud of all of these schools,” said Superintendent/CEO of Columbus City Schools Dr. Angela Chapman. “Columbus City Schools continues to show that great things are happening in our school communities. We continue to increase the number of schools that are recognized by the state for the work that [our educators] are doing.”

As Columbus City Schools deepens its investment in PBIS, the positive outcomes grow stronger every year. With fewer incidents, higher engagement, and more recognition statewide, CCS continues to improve, making each new school year better than the last for students, staff, and families.