Fall 2025 Newsletter

Helping Students Start the Year Strong

As a new school year begins, it’s the perfect time to implement CW-FIT strategies to help students transition smoothly, reinforce expectations, and create a positive classroom culture. Whether you’re new to CW-FIT or a returning pro, we’ve got tools to support a successful year.

Establishing Routines and Expectations

The first few weeks of school are critical for establishing routines and expectations.

Clearly define 3–5 positively stated expectations (e.g., Follow Directions, Stay on Task, Use Kind Words).
Post expectations where they are visible to everyone in the classroom.
Teach, re-teach, and practice routines and expectations often

Transitioning Back with Purpose

Many students may need time to readjust to structure, routines, and peer interactions.

Begin each day by praising 3–5 students for positive behavior within the first 10 minutes. Use praise statements that name the behavior (e.g., “Thank you for raising your hand).
Use pre-corrects before activities where you anticipate challenges (e.g., “Remember, our expectation is to stay in our seats)
Keep group reinforcement fun and seasonal (fall-themed stickers, 5-minute brain breaks, extra school tokens).

Classroom climate

Creating a positive classroom climate supports both academic and social success.

Start the day with a warm, calm tone—students feed off your energy.
Praise frequently and intentionally to build confidence and trust.
Celebrate small wins as a class—cheers, compliments, or a fun chant help build unity.
Create achievable and attainable goals to promote teamwork and shared responsibility.

Summer To-Do: A Gentle Reset

You don’t need a full overhaul—just a reset. Consider one small change or new strategy you’d like to try in the new school year. Maybe it’s starting CW-FIT earlier in the year, using timers more effectively, or setting a goal to increase behavior-specific praise. One intentional improvement can make a big difference.

CW-FIT Tools

The CW-FIT website has refresher videos, reinforcer list, behavior expectation posters, and other tools to help you start the school year: cwfit.ku.edu

Looking for evidence-based professional development? Contact us today to learn how our CW-FIT team can support your school or district. cwfitku@ku.edu

In the Spotlight

Dr. Anne-Marie Bixler-Funk is a PBIS Coach in the Olathe School District.

What behavioral challenges were your teachers having?

Teachers were having challenges with students yelling out and being disruptive during academic lessons.

Why did you choose CW-FIT?
Initially, our district was part of a CW-FIT research study, but now I love to use it as one of my coaching tools to offer teachers.

What improvements did you see in your teachers’ practice and/or students’ success?

Teachers were more focused on teaching expectations and on offering behavior-specific feedback (praise increased tremendously.

Is CW-FIT a tool you would recommend to other schools?

YES! It works! The teachers I support like it, and the students LOVE it.