Wolf Point Schools Add Boys Town Program
Improving Behavior
Wolf Point’s schools will start to utilize the Boys Town Education Model as early as this week at the district’s two elementary schools.
“The idea is to change the behavior of students and make sure they’re successful,” Wolf Point Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perkins said. “I went after it because I know it’s a proven program.”
According to its website, components of the Boys Town Education Model include:
• Teaching social skills that contribute to a positive learning environment.
• Empowering children to make good decision.
• Correcting inappropriate behaviors by teaching and practicing appropriate alternative behaviors.
• Reducing the frequency and severity of referrals through a data- driving referral process framework.
• Praising students more and punishing them less.
“It uses a lot of positive reinforcement and awards,” Perkins explained. “But it also has high standards expectations.”
Both of Wolf Point’s elementary principals and counselors along with two other staff members from Southside have taken part in the program’s training.
“Anytime you impact the atmosphere in the classroom, it will affect academics,” Perkins said of the goal of seeing more academic success.
School officials have recently moved into the administrative building located at Fourth Avenue South and Benton Street. Work still includes unpacking boxes. A door needs to be replaced and security cameras added. Roof repairs have been done, and additional roof improvements are needed next spring.
The former administrative building, located across from Northside Elementary School, now features two classrooms and the Fort Peck Tribes’ Health Promotion Disease Prevention program.
Perkins doesn’t feel the track project at the high school can be completed this fall because it requires two weeks straight of temperatures not going below 40 degrees.
