Skip to content Ontario.ca Français

PAWS - Overview

Positive Actions Will Succeed at Sir James Whitney, where we aim to create a school environment in which appropriate behaviour is taught, learned and recognized. The “paw” is a nod to our faithful mascot, the wolf.

Positive Behaviour Supports involves introducing, modeling and reinforcing positive social behaviour.

Our PAWS committee involves staff members drawn from different areas across campus: school, residence, Student Health Services and Resource Services. This cross-campus approach allows us to present a united front and have common expectations, as well as reinforcing to our students that positive behaviours are expected in all areas.

Our targeted behaviours have been designed to incorporate our wolf theme as well: W+O+L+V+E=S.

Paws have been given out to our teachers, EAs, residential counselors, front office staff, life-guards, GB Catering staff, interpreters - and anyone else who has asked to be included. Staff members are encouraged to catch the students being good, and write the students’ actions on the paws provided. The student in turn puts his or her paw into the PAWS box located in the school office.

Our committee is also working on staff development, and data collection. We want to work with the staff on interventions and strategies they can put in place to encourage positive behaviour - and deal with negative behaviour - that are evidence-based. We will be looking to our data for information that is used to identify our status, need for change, and the effects of interventions.

Back to top