Bristol City Schools

Kicking off the school year with a Whole Child approach, Bristol City Schools provided the entire school system with a professional development day centered on students and a continuum of supports to meet their needs proactively. Keynote speaker Stan Tucker opened the day with a focus on nurturing students and the mantra, “Love is always the answer.” Following Tucker, a range of presenters provided sessions on topics like drug abuse awareness, transition and readiness for the future, being trauma informed, and behavior supports. District officials also acknowledged the incredible collective work of all staff and distributed 100 door prizes donated by the community to say thank you.

Consultants from Tennessee Tiered Supports Center at The University of Tennessee Knoxville also participated in the day, offering the session Creating Schoolwide Systems to Teach and Acknowledge Expected Behaviors and Responding to Challenging Behaviors. In this session, our consultants worked with educators and administrators to identify the key features of schoolwide expectations, discuss the importance of teaching behavior-based skills, and explore options for acknowledgement systems that can be used to encourage pro-social behaviors. The team also shared ways to respond when students engage in challenging behaviors. 

The day was an absolute success, with many educators feeling a sense of renewed energy and excitement as they prepared to welcome students back to school. Our Center is thankful for opportunities to provide professional development and engage in learning alongside the amazing educators and leaders in our partnering districts. Bristol City Schools continues to shine as a model for other districts of ways to support and provide for ALL students.