For the 2022-23 school year, Catasauqua Middle School revamped its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program.

The program, called the Rough RIDER Program, aims to promote a proactive and positive environment to improve academic performance, school safety, positive behavior and school climate.

The acronym RIDER stands for the following positive traits: respectful, inclusive, determined, engaged and ready.

During the first week of school, students were taught these defined expectations for the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, nurse and main offices, bathrooms, assemblies and more. When an adult notices a student following or displaying these expectations, they may receive a RIDER buck.

The RIDER bucks can be used at the student store, to attend school dances, eat at the RIDER Cafe during lunch, have lunch with a teacher, be a guest announcer on the CMS Morning News Show, participate in monthly raffles and more. Students chosen as a Rough Rider of the Month also receive RIDER bucks.

The goal for September was to be respectful. Students who did not receive an office referral or teacher detention during the month were eligible for the reward.

A RIDER buck with the students’ names were placed into boxes split up by grade level. Students were also given an opportunity to enter additional RIDER bucks to increase their chances of being selected for the monthly prize - getting to pie a teacher in the face.

An assembly was held Oct. 14, 2022, in the gymnasium to celebrate the winners.

The October goal was inclusivity, and the reward was to slime a teacher. The PBIS reward assembly was held Nov. 10, 2022.

The monthly rewards continued with a popcorn and movie day. The next reward will give students the opportunity to silly string a teacher.