Copy of PLUS- Peer Leaders Uniting Students
Peer Leaders Uniting Students (PLUS) is a unique school climate framework that utilizes student connections, data gathering, and action planning. PLUS builds a system for schools to identify and address the critical issues impacting positive youth development and the conditions for learning of all students. It is a framework that works with and compliment PBIS to provide students more of a voice and representation in the systems built within a school community. PLUS, a student voice and participatory action program which offers a comprehensive approach to student-led school climate improvement, and includes activities for youth-led school climate data collection, synthesis, and dissemination; school community forums facilitated by young people; and relationship and connectedness-building activities led by young people throughout the school year.
Central to the PLUS Program is the recruitment of a “PLUS Team” of 25-30 students that represent a cross-section of influential students across the campus. This team of students is responsible for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all elements of the PLUS program. Student members of the PLUS team are selected by school adults based on their leadership and influence characteristics, which are outlined by the PLUS program. Among PLUS student selection considerations are an application process, large group forum interaction, and panel interview which assesses a student’s potential social influence on the campus, communication and listening skills, compassion, intellectual responses, and relationships with others.
AUSD collaborated with USC and PLUS to bring this framework into our schools. Year 1 training occurred during the 2022-2023 school year with basics on the foundations of PLUS and how it works together with PBIS to bring about more opportunities to feel connected to the school environment. We are proud to announce that Monterey Highlands, Brightwood and Garfield have begun forming their PLUS student teams with other schools on the verge of forming theirs!
