Three years ago, Fountain Hills Middle School (FHMS) became a pioneer in the district by implementing Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS). FHMS continues to trailblaze paths for PBIS to improve the daily lives of students and on Monday, Nov. 21, FHMS opened a new PBIS store.

The store was a culmination of efforts from several people and local organizations. The youngest contributors were members of Girl Scout Troop #4333, and they approached FHMS administration with a unique idea.

“The store has been in the works,” Valerie Reichler said. “The Girl Scouts were looking to do something for their bronze project, and they were brainstorming with us on what they can do, and they proposed that they come and help us put together the store by painting the word ‘Kind’ on there, and we put some handprints up there, too.”

Reichler has been the FHMS school leader on PBIS since its implementation, and she was promoted from teaching to Dean of Students ahead of the 2022-23 school year. Her goal for the year was to put together the store, and the girl scouts and others helped speed along the process of getting it ready.

“We’ve had quite a bit of donations come through our doors,” Reichler said. “Sami [Fine Jewelry] gave us the cases that we have, our PTO gave us a lot of money to afford the ability to get items for the store. They gave us first $1,000, and then they gave us money from other fundraising events that we’ve done here, along with so many others in the community.”

Students are rewarded when a staff member sees them meeting PBIS expectations by being respectful, responsible, safe and kind. McDowell Mountain Elementary School still gives students tangible “Falcon Feathers” as rewards, but both FHMS and Fountain Hills High School have transitioned to using the PBIS Rewards app to track everything.

The PBIS Rewards app lets students track, save, and spend their points. Now that the store is open, kids can buy snacks, drinks, stuffed animals, key chains, basketballs, matchbook cars, jewelry and more through the app. Kids used the app earlier this year to choose intangible rewards, and those rewards will still be available.

“We had ‘request a song’ on Fridays,” Reichler said. “I’d look at the lyrics, and then I’d go out in the courtyard, and we would play all of these requests. Then the kids would go out and start their day dancing and happy and fun. Another thing they could do was game time with me. Maybe they wanted to play giant connect four with me, and lunch buddies with our counselor, [Angie] Buczek was a big one.”

According to Reichler, the students were very excited to reap their rewards in the store. Several girl scouts from troop #4333 are also students at FHMS, and the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce made an event out of the store’s opening. The Chamber provided ribbon cutting equipment, and several PTO parents and school Board candidate elects came in support of the grand opening.

Reichler also wanted to thank Ali Shroyer, a parent volunteer. Reichler taught both of her children and recruited Shroyer’s help because Reichler felt she’s the type that gets the job done. Shroyer collected paint donations and helped finish the inside of the store.

The PBIS store is located next to the Red Ribbon Week Pledge Wall where students signed a pledge to live drug-free lives. Both the store and pledge wall are visible immediately after entering the front door at FHMS, serving as a constant reminder for students to make positive choices in their daily lives.