PBIS in Action: How RSU 22 Is Building Positive School Culture District-Wide

Regional School Unit (RSU) 22 (Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport, and Frankfort) is making significant strides in creating a positive, student-centered culture, thanks to the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework.

RSU 22’s PBIS journey began in the 2021-2022 school year following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent year of hybrid learning. Seeking consistency in student behavior support systems, district leaders joined a statewide PBIS training cohort. What began as a post-pandemic response has since evolved into a coordinated, district-wide effort; now, RSU 22 is consistently recognized statewide for its pre-K-grade 12 PBIS framework. In 2025, the district earned the silver District of Distinction recognition from the Northeast PBIS Network, highlighting its commitment to safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments.

RSU 22’s PBIS implementation varies across its six schools, with four schools actively implementing Tier 1—or universal—support practices and the other two schools engaged in advanced tiers work. The district continues to support schools at different stages of readiness, while maintaining district-level coordination and data collection.

At the core of this work is a belief that students do best when common expectations are clear, explicitly taught, and positively reinforced. Each school takes the time to explain what these expectations look like and practice them with students. When students show that they understand and follow expectations, adults notice and acknowledge their efforts with specific praise and, in some cases, small rewards, such as a ticket or token that the student can use for a book vending machine or a schoolwide raffle. Being recognized for doing something well helps students to feel proud of their efforts and encourages them to continue making positive choices. Each school designs its recognition approach in ways that are developmentally appropriate and meaningful for students.

Data has driven much of RSU 22’s progress; each school distributes a PBIS School Climate Survey twice a year to students (grades 3 and up), staff, and families. This data highlights trends, celebrates strengths, and informs needed improvements. In the fall of 2025, families across the district continued to praise a strong commitment to safety, with four of six schools identifying student safety traveling to and from school as a top strength. Families also highlighted the clean and organized learning environments that teachers in the district maintain. Across all groups—students, staff, and families—this data revealed a consistent opportunity to strengthen student recognition practices, which the district is actively addressing.

RSU 22 not only shares survey results with families but acts on them, building trust and transparency. In a fall 2025 letter to families, Director of Curriculum Jennifer Nickerson shared: “[The] feedback directly influences our improvement efforts and helps shape the future of our schools.” She also added: “The [PBIS] framework works, but it takes consistency, measurement, and a shared belief that all students can succeed when they feel supported.”

PBIS is a nationally recognized, evidence-based framework designed to create positive school climates by teaching and reinforcing clear behavioral expectations. It helps schools to improve student behavior, promote academic success, and build supportive environments where all students feel safe, respected, and empowered to thrive. To learn more about PBIS in Maine, visit the Maine DOE website.

This article was developed in collaboration with RSU 22 and the Maine PBIS program, a partnership between the Maine DOE Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education and the University of Maine System. This article is part of a series highlighting the successes of Maine schools that are in the process of implementing, or that have implemented, PBIS in their schools. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.