LI
Behavior
Winter
Elementary
DR
Dr. Sarah Chen
MTSS Coordinator
Lincoln Elementary, Midwest
Reducing Post-Break Behavioral Incidents with Proactive CICO
Post-Break ODR Spike
+80%
+15%
-81%
CICO Daily Average
5.6/10
7.8/10
+39%
Days to First Incident
2 days
11 days
+450%
Symptom
Every year after winter and spring breaks, the school experienced a sharp spike in office discipline referrals. In the first two weeks following each break, ODRs typically increased by 60-80% compared to the monthly average, with the most significant impact on grades 3-5.
This pattern disrupted instruction, overwhelmed staff, and eroded the positive school climate built during the preceding weeks. The problem was predictable but had not been addressed with a proactive, systematic approach.
People
Dr. Sarah Chen, the MTSS Coordinator, led the initiative with support from the PBIS coach, school counselor, and a 4th grade team lead.
Team:
- Dr. Sarah Chen — MTSS Coordinator, strategy lead
- PBIS Coach — CICO implementation, daily data review
- School Counselor — Student check-ins, family communication
- 4th Grade Team Lead — Classroom-level CICO facilitation
Data
Three core metrics were tracked weekly: ODR count (from the behavior system), CICO daily average scores (from check-in/check-out forms), and days to first post-break incident (from daily behavior logs). The team reviewed data every Friday during their standing MTSS meeting.
A dashboard displayed current-week metrics against the same period in prior years, making the improvement immediately visible to staff.
Plan
A proactive protocol starting two weeks before each scheduled break and extending two weeks after:
Pre-Break (2 weeks before): Planning meeting to identify students most at risk based on prior break patterns. Teachers held explicit conversations with students about expectations for returning.
Break Period: Families received a brief letter with return-to-school tips and the first day's schedule.
Day 1 Back: Welcome-back assembly focused on community and routine reset — not rules.
Weeks 1-2 Post-Break: CICO was intensified for identified students (daily instead of 2x/week). The team met daily for 10 minutes to review CICO scores and flag students needing additional support.
Week 2+: Data review determined which students could return to standard CICO frequency and which needed continued intensive support.
graph TD
A["2 Weeks Before<br/>Pre-Break Planning"] --> B["1 Week Before<br/>Teacher-Student Conversations"]
B --> C["Break Period<br/>Family Letter Sent"]
C --> D["Day 1 Back<br/>Welcome Assembly"]
D --> E["Weeks 1-2<br/>Intensive CICO"]
E --> F["Week 2<br/>Data Review"]
F --> G{Normalized?}
G -- Yes --> H["Standard Protocols"]
G -- No --> I["Tier 2 Support"]
I --> E
Resources
Pre-Break Planning Checklist
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CICO Tracking Form
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Welcome-Back Assembly Guide
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