We are living through one of the most challenging moments in education history. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just disrupt instruction—it fractured relationships, deepened trauma, and made chronic absenteeism a crisis that too many schools are still struggling to overcome.
In classrooms across the country, principals and teachers find themselves trapped in a cycle: spending more time reacting to environmental triggers and negative student behavior than focusing on what truly matters—student achievement and growth. It’s a cycle that steals joy from educators and hope from students.
To make matters more difficult, the ongoing crisis of uncertainty in school funding directly impacts the human resources available and the quality of training and support staff receive. Budget constraints often mean fewer specialists, less professional development, and limited resources to implement effective discipline models. This scarcity makes it even more critical to adopt strategies like Proactive and Responsive Discipline (PRD)—because we must work smarter, not harder, to maximize the impact of every staff member and every interaction with students.
This is exactly why PRD isn’t just another training—it’s an essential tool and mindset shift to reclaim our schools, restore culture, and truly meet students where they are. It is an opportunity to create a space where they belong.
Consider the data: over 8 million students were chronically absent in 2020-21—missing 15 or more days of school. That’s a 17% increase from pre-pandemic numbers. Chronic absenteeism isn’t just about attendance; it signals disengagement, trauma, and barriers that pull students away from learning and connection.
Trauma exposure among youth has skyrocketed. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network reminds us that trauma impacts everything—from behavior to brain function to emotional regulation. Without trauma-informed responses, traditional discipline strategies only push students further away.
And let’s be honest: suspensions, office referrals, and punitive discipline are rising again, disproportionately impacting marginalized students and feeding a climate of mistrust and struggle.
We can’t fix these deep wounds with reactive discipline alone. When educators spend their energy chasing behavioral issues, teaching takes a backseat. The cycle of punishment often worsens the problem, driving students out of classrooms and leaving educators exhausted and disconnected.
What we need is a paradigm shift—a move from punishment to proactive support; from reacting to responding thoughtfully and intentionally.
PRD equips educators with the mindset and tools to anticipate challenges, build relationships, and intervene before behavior escalates. It’s about teaching students the skills they need to succeed, restoring relationships, and fostering a culture where everyone belongs.
Here’s what PRD does:
I’ve seen this firsthand. At a high school in one of the poorest zip codes in the country—what some might call a “gang neighborhood”—the principal had been let go, discipline was out of control, and nearly 80% of the students were either being written up or simply not showing up. A district-assigned Dean of Students had the pedigree and knowledge, but she stayed in her office, assigned tasks, and never modeled what it meant to serve.
I begged the CEO to let me hire my own Dean. Within the first week of finding the right person, the culture shifted. Every morning, she greeted each and every student—sometimes with treats, sometimes with “the look” or conversation that changed their day. She stood in the gap for kids and became a resource for staff. Our Tier I changed almost overnight. Suddenly, the 80% who had been disengaged were back in class, and discipline became manageable.
But the real work came next.
With Tier I stabilized, we could finally focus on deeper, responsive work. Our biggest challenge was daily girl fights—sometimes pulling my AP away for an entire day just to manage one or two blowups. With the Dean holding Tier I supports with teachers steady, the AP and I could divide and conquer. We identified 18 girls who were consistently at the center of conflict, another 8 who were on the fence, and 4 strong young women who I believed could help lead a shift.
That’s when I created Wednesday Brunch with Dr. J. Each young lady received a personally designed invite, signed by me, requiring a parent notification signature if they wanted to participate. The invitation simply promised a Chat and Chew with a book study.
The rules were simple: I’d provide a book, assign chapters, and they had to annotate and come ready to discuss. Our first text was When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost by Joan Morgan—raw, real, and relevant. Each week, I checked their annotations at the door of the media center. Inside, the chairs were arranged in a circle, and I reminded them of the agreements:
The first two sessions were tough. Shoulders tight, voices guarded, with maybe two or three fewer fights. But then came week three.
The chapter touched on pain, relationships, self-love, and empowerment. I had prepared myself all week, knowing I was the only man in the room, bracing to hear teenage girls talk about their love lives and hoping I could just hold the space.
As young people always do when you create the right conditions, the brilliance and the truth surfaced. A 9th grader, timidly, read her two annotated lines and said:
“I can relate because I was molested by my cousin at 9. Nothing happened, no one believed me, and I still have to see him during big family events.”
Twenty-eight young women later, nearly every student had shared the same story of being molested by a family member or family friend. The pain they had been carrying—and displacing on one another—broke open that day.
Yes, we did the necessary follow-up work. But the point is this: the space itself, created with intention, gave these young women the chance to be heard, to be believed, and to heal in community. From that day forward, we never had another girl fight with that group. By the following year, some of the fiercest warriors had become school leaders.
That is the power of PRD: the proactive shifts that stabilize culture, and the responsive practices that open doors to healing.
I often say,
“Never let a moment of correction outweigh the moments of connection you’ve built beforehand.”
This simple truth must anchor every interaction in our schools. When students feel valued and understood first, corrections become coaching moments rather than punishments.
PRD isn’t just another initiative. It’s the foundation for shifting school culture, reclaiming instructional time, and closing opportunity gaps. It aligns with principals’ leadership goals to create safe, inclusive environments where all students thrive.
PRD empowers educators to:
If we want to heal schools and truly support students, we must invest in small, consistent, proactive actions that transform relationships and build resilience.
PRD is that critical shift. It’s about more than behavior—it’s about belonging, equity, and the joy of education. At CharacterStrong, we stand ready to partner with you to bring this transformation to your school community.
Before you move forward, take a moment to honestly reflect. These questions are not about assigning blame—they are about illuminating the path forward by confronting the realities you face every day:
If these questions make you uncomfortable, that discomfort is the first step toward growth. It means you see the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Proactive and Responsive Discipline is the key to closing that gap.
Will you take that step?
Want to learn more about Proactive and Responsive Discipline and the training we offer at CharacterStrong? Explore our PRD approach and professional learning opportunities on our website by clicking here.