State: Montana | Type of School: Small | Students: 1,173
Diversity: 90% White, 4% Latino, 3% American Indian, or Alaskan Native
Free or reduced lunch: 59.7%
Teachers at Libby Schools in Libby, Montana, work tirelessly to support their students but found the demands of MTSS a challenge. They created binders of data and passed the information along with students. However, when leadership changed, the old paper and binder model fell apart, causing a breakdown in communication between grade levels.
As the new elementary principal, Jeanine Kidwell carefully but purposefully instigated change in the small district, “The goal was to rebuild under a stronger framework than existed before.”
Jeanine and her colleagues at Libby Schools recognized the need for a more effective system and turned to Branching Minds to revamp their MTSS practice.
THE CHALLENGES:
“The state of MTSS two years ago…documentation was non-existent. Not to say that student needs weren't being met, teachers were working hard. There was just a lack of documentation to show what was working and what else needed to be tried.”
Jeanine also knew that the solution would have challenges of its own, including new technology and workflow for teachers. She wanted to support teachers through the change because many of the teachers at Libby Elementary have seen initiatives come and go. “How are we going to [implement this platform] without freaking teachers out because it's a different way of looking at your workflow?".
THE RESULT:
Libby Schools started small. They focused on Branching Minds documentation for essentials like meetings and family communication. This shift encouraged consistent practice and collaboration along with enhanced information transparency for parents, especially helpful for children with behavior safety plans.
Jeanine encouraged staff to build on the workflow, “When a student was struggling, I would direct teachers to remember we have the Insight Surveys that can help us have additional data when we come to the independent student support team meetings.”
An added benefit is the change in attitude around MTSS. “The success that we've seen is just that true sense of collective efficacy. Branching Minds is a place where any person serving that child can go and either document information or glean further information to help service that child.”
“I think what I’m most proud of is that teachers understand that it doesn't always have to be how it used to be.”