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A positive school climate can have substantial positive effects on reductions in substance abuse, anti-social behavior and school leaving (e.g., Mayer et all, 1983; Rutter, 1979; and Gottfredsen, 1988; Embry, 1997). There are a number of characteristics of schools and school-based programs that seem to be critical for both prevention and intervention success, which can be manipulated in "dose" levels for schools and youth who need more shown in table form

	Promoting high levels of engagement in academic task and literacy promotion.
	Encouraging high levels of praise or attention by teachers and school staff for attention to task and academic productivity, especially for high-risk children.
	Engaging in differential attention from adults to other students and other behavior (DRO = differential reinforcement of other behavior) when a child has minor misbehavior rather than attention to children’s negative behavior.
	Using daily group activity rewards for teams or classes rather than weekly, monthly or semesterly rewards based on individual points.
	Encouraging daily, self-monitoring and posting of academic and behavioral competencies, including frequently changed public displays of work.
	Setting up structures (antecedent) that "channel" probability of positive behavior and reduce "down time" during transitions.
	Using every day story models to illustrate pro-social behaviors being mastered.
	Using cognitive-behavioral questions and techniques ("Socratic methods" or "brain builders") to foster mastery of emotionally charged events, as well as during routine times to foster perspective taking and prediction skills.
	Sending home daily positive home notes to student’s families for positive behavior and achievement, linked to rewards at home, plus extensive involvement of pupils in the teaching of positive skills to families.
	Creating many opportunities for students to hold positions of responsibility or job roles each day.
	Using quick daily response-cost, cognitive mediation and over-correction procedures for acts of negative behavior instead of delayed consequences such as referrals to the office or high-intensity verbal or physical reprimands.
	Using a common language of belonging to define the school culture, which is used by both adults and pupils.
	Creating clarity of rules, including quizzes about them for group reward
	Encouraging frequent art, music performance, drama and best work displays
	Fostering intensive use of the same principles and tools throughout all areas of the school life—classroom, lunchroom, recess, bus, after school activities, hallways and other venues, explicitly designed to carry from year to year.

The PAXIS school system is the first approach to create a full system to achieve these results using emerging research on prevention from various projects sponsored by the US Centers for Disease Control, the US Department of Education and other funding sources. The materials being developed use not only the scientific findings but also the field feedback to develop a system that is sensitive to the demands of contemporary schools for successful implementation. The new system also packs in procedures to improve literacy and achievement, which have been emerging concurrently to the research on problem behavior. This latter development is important because of the well-known links to achievement, verbal fluency and anti-social behavior.

The system is a three-step materials process for staff, children and families. All staff members receive the same "Successtory" which provides an engaging story model of how all items fit together. This same "Successtory" is shared with every family. The result is all parties can start from the same sheet of music, understanding emotional, health and academic benefits for children, families and school staff. The Succestory is a synthesis of anecdotes and research woven to map a symbolic model of action, showing coping and overcoming of common "yes-buts."

Additional support materials are provided for various functions. For example, there is a guide for leaders in the school, which provides the details for each "recipe" being implemented. This guide tells the school leaders what, when, where and how—including how much paper will be required, who can help with the actions, etc. This guide is accompanied by a CD-ROM.

Every classroom person receives twelve modules, plus a CD-ROM, which has additional linked items by developmental level and training support, linked to the World Wide Web. The modules are given out only as the school steps through the sequence—keeping down the "two-foot thick materials" shock down. This modular approach, tied to support materials for the whole school and families, moves the culture through symbolic modeling, role plays, behavioral rehearsal, praxis, rituals, monitoring and celebrations to create successful momentum. The modules are organized around a sequence of six principles or tenets:

	Commend others
	Help each other
	Find advice and wisdom
	Avoid hurting people
	Make amends
	Stick with it.

Volume 1 of the modules assures success in the classroom and main school functions. Volume 2 makes sure that the success spreads to all the transitional areas in which so much problem behavior occurs: playground, lunchroom, buses, home, neighborhood.

Every family receives the main story plus a developmentally appropriate book on each principle, which is looped into the various modules and CD-ROMS. The booklets (each 24 pages long) are designed to promote skills at home and school, that advance academic, social and emotional competencies. The booklets also promote literacy, based on studies of emergent literacy. The booklets tie into various protocols at the school to advance family involvement.

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