LMS' MTSS Committee
Information About Our Multi-Tiered System of Supports
What Is MTSS?
- MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. The research-based, school-wide program includes strategies for teaching and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments.
- A system of acknowledgments designed to help motivate and recognize students who do their best. An important piece of MTSS is to create school-wide expectations and matching behaviors that students will learn, revisit, and aspire to throughout the school year.
Does This Have To Do With P.A.W.S.?
Yes, it does! P.A.W.S. is the acronym used for the universal behavioral expectations at Leonardtown Middle School! Our P.A.W.S. expectations are Positive and Polite, Accept Responsibility, Work Hard, and Safety First. These expectations might look a little different from classroom to classroom, but they shape our culture and community at Leonardtown Middle! We want all of our staff and students aspiring to these expectations.
- You will see these school-wide expectations posted around the school.
- Using a P.A.W.S. behavior matrix (Please click the image to the right to see an example!), we work hard to teach what those expectations look like in each school setting.
- We reinforce these behavior expectations with a rewards system of P.A.W.S. tickets. Students can redeem their tickets for rewards in their teacher's classrooms, or trade in the tickets to attend school-wide events.
We have high expectations for the learning community at Leonardtown Middle and expect all within our school community to contribute to a positive learning environment.
So What Does MTSS Look Like At LMS?
- Analyze Leonardtown Middle's Discipline Data - As a committee, we analyze disciplinary data for any trends or patterns in student behavior, and look at what supports we can put in place to help our students meet our school-wide expectations.
- Provide Professional Development for Teaching Expectations - Our MTSS Co-chairpersons also take time at our meetings to facilitate professional development for staff members to learn different ways in which they can teach and review our P.A.W.S.-itive expectations for our students.
Other focus points for our Committee include:
- Fundraising - We create and coordinate fundraising events for the MTSS Committee. The money raised is used toward student and staff MTSS-sponsored events.
- Events Coordination - We focus on the conception, planning, and coordination of MTSS sponsored, school-wide student events. Students are able to trade in P.A.W.S. badges and tickets to participate in these school-wide events!
- Social - We organize staff gatherings and focus on staff appreciation to help maintain the P.A.W.S.-itive culture within the staff. We have found that if the staff feel appreciated and united as a team, they are able to devote more time, energy, and passion into reinforcing P.A.W.S.-itive expectations with our students!
Check Out Some Of Our Events and Incentives From Last School Year!
Morning Kahoot Trivia
The MTSS Committee hosts Morning Kahoot Trivia throughout the year as a way to quiz students' knowledge of various holiday celebrations! It costs two P.A.W.S. tickets to participate, and the top five winners win some festive prizes!
Morning Games Week
Valentine's Day Trivia
St. Patrick's Day Trivia
Holly Jolly Holiday Hoopla Winter Spirit Week
Jaguar PAWlooza, A Concert Event
TCD (Team Challenges and Decades) Spirit Week
Holly Jolly Holiday Hoopla
Our Jaguar nation always gets our winter spirit on by dressing up in the best holiday gear for a winter spirit week! These were the featured spirit days from this year!
- Snow Day - Wear white (but FYI there is still school)!
- Holiday Hat Day - Wear your Santa, or elf hats, or reindeer antlers!
- Santa and His Helpers Day - Dress as your favorite holiday character!
- Ugly Sweater Day - Come dressed in your ugly sweater best!
- Red and Green Day - Wear your most festive red and green colors!
Jaguar PAWlooza
Students were treated to an afternoon at the theatre, when they were invited to attend this one-of-a-kind concert event featuring a preview performance of the school musical Mary Poppins Jr., as well as experience the talents of professional working actors from within the St. Mary's County community!
TCD (Team Challenge and Decades) Spirit Week
To get in gear for testing, the MTSS Committee hosted a Team Challenges week during homeroom, all while getting into our school spirit with a "Decades" Spirit Week! During homeroom, students were selected by their teachers to represent their teams for Jaguar Team Challenge/Decades Week at grade level assemblies!
There were three challenges or relays per day that took place in the gym! Each grade level had an opportunity to view the challenges through the grade level assemblies, and throughout the week, the MTSS Chairs kept track of the scores!
- Monday, March 28 (Day 1): Minute-To-Win-It! Sixth Grade Assembly Day
- Tuesday, March 29 (Day 2): Team Relays! Seventh Grade Assembly Day
- Wednesday, March 30 (Day 3): Good Sportsmanship! Eighth Grade Assembly Day
Team 7-2 came in first place won the Spirit Stick and their own Walk and Talk social event!
In celebration of all of their hard work, our sixth and seventh grade students spend the day building community, showcasing their athletic talents, and reaffirming what it means to be a Leonardtown Jaguar. LMS Jaguars have proven themselves to be P.A.W.S.-itively phenomenal this year. They are Positive and Polite, Accept Responsibility, Work Hard, and put Safety First.
MTSS Also Sponsors Our School Store!
Where Did This Come From?
Incentives are implemented and students who exhibit the expected behaviors are provided positive attention and praise, including P.A.W.S. tickets! Students are able to turn in their P.A.W.S. tickets for special privileges such as a homework pass or to attend a larger event such as a student/staff basketball game. Most students will respond to these whole school practices which leads to improved school culture and community. Some students may require additional support in the form of small group instruction, while some may need individual support in order to be successful.
How Do I Get Involved?
- We are constantly looking for parent input! Please be on the lookout for MTSS Committee Surveys to provide us with feedback! We send the surveys out at least three times during the school year.
- We are also inviting a PTA member to our monthly meetings to represent parents/guardians at our meetings! If you have ideas or input you would like to share, please pass along that information to the PTA. Or reach out to the MTSS Chairpersons, Mr. Engel-Cope (erengelcope@smcps.org), Ms. Whitlock (ajwhitlock@smcps.org), or Ms. Millerick (dnmillerick@smcps.org).
Leonardtown Middle School
If you need anything from us to support you during this unprecedented and challenging time, please reach out to us.
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/lms/
Location: 24015 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: 301-475-0230