Our school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework prioritizes community building through three core expectations:

• Be safe.
• Be responsible.
• Be respectful.

These expectations guide how students engage with teachers and staff and with each other. Teachers create “stations” outside their classrooms during the first week of school, so they quickly become familiar faces to new and returning students. Restorative Practices are learned and shared in classrooms, during meetings of our Family Leadership Organization and Community School Leadership Team, and among students. Active listening, asking questions, and reflecting on shared experiences are communication skills that bring people together whether they are setting shared goals or resolving conflict.

Attendance, Academics, Inclusion

Student participation starts with attendance. Once students are in the building, a strong academic program helps them focus on college and career goals. Creating opportunities for relaxation and recognition helps students of all academic backgrounds — at-risk to honor roll — feel valued and connected within the JMAC community. Teachers like JMAC PBIS coordinator Sarah Ramlow understand that being in school feels right for some students and challenging for others.

“Having positive experiences in the school building and creating fun memories is for every kid,” Ramlow says. “We use PBIS to build positive relationships with all students, using inclusion over incentives.”

• Teachers and students set aside three Friday afternoons each year to watch movies, play games, or craft in our fieldhouse.
• Harvest Fest keeps spirits high as the weather gets colder and studies get intense. Fall crafts and foods reward students for staying focused.
• Field Day is an end-of-year tradition; the supply list includes water balloons, sidewalk chalk, DIY slime materials, and hula hoops.
• The annual student vs. staff volleyball game brings an old rivalry to JMAC’s new fieldhouse in 2024-25.

Creating Space for Family

Family engagement is essential to strengthening climate and culture at JMAC. There are many opportunities for family members to make decisions and join celebrations that prioritize student well-being.

• Monthly meetings of our Family Leadership Organization and Community School Leadership Team
• A dedicated parent coordinator on staff, and a parent and family resource center open by appointment
• Annual events like our winter fest and our family barbecue focus on food, crafts, and connecting Madison Knights families to valuable community resources and organizations through the Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership.