“In confronting youth suicide, substance abuse and peer pressure, we need to do everything we can to help our kids become more resilient,” Governor Bullock said. “The Good Behavior Game is evidence-based and has shown great promise in Montana. This is an excellent opportunity to provide a valuable tool to even more of our students and teachers in classrooms.”
Sheila Hogan, director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services, said the Good Behavior Game provides teachers with research-based strategies focused on creating a classroom climate that facilitates productivity, teamwork, and encourages development of resiliency that will continue over the course of a student’s lifetime.
The program is designed for K-5 classrooms. Schools currently using the program are in Absarokee, Belgrade, Billings, Bozeman, Browning, Canyon Creek, Clancy, Cut Bank, Dillon, East Helena, Fromberg, Gardiner, Heart Butte, Helena, Joliet, Lakeside, Livingston, Manhattan, Missoula, Shepherd, Twin Bridges, Wibaux, and Wilsall. Several school districts offer the program in multiple schools.
With additional funding, more schools and communities will be able to utilize the program. “We anticipate this funding will provide the opportunity for at least 35 more schools across the state to implement this program in their classrooms,” Director Hogan said.
Funds will be used for training school personnel delivered by the PAXIS Institute, the organization that developed the program. PAXIS will also offer community strategic planning and development training to educate communities about the program and assist with sustainability plans. School personnel will receive in-person training as well as additional resources including stipends for classroom supplies and ongoing personal support, mentoring, and coaching. Grant funding will also pay for continued program evaluation performed by the University of Montana.
Please contact your School Superintendent and ask them to apply for this grant to provide the PAX Good Behavior Game in your schools.
The deadline to apply for this new funding is June 28, 2019. Interested public or private schools or community coalitions can submit a grant proposal online at
http://vendorresources.mt.gov/
