In a dedicated effort to encourage inclusivity, Altona Middle School has implemented initiatives to create opportunities for all students to actively engage in school-wide activities.

Last year, Altona introduced their student-led store, which is entirely managed by students from the Significant Support Needs (SSN) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) classrooms, as part of a Positive Behavioral Intervention Support System (PBIS).

When students demonstrate different aspects of the Altona Way, such as Pride, Excellence, Teamwork, Innovation, Grit, and Leadership, they earn Pillar tickets from their teachers that can later be used in the student store.

The process begins with students accessing an online form to place their orders, which is directly submitted to the students managing the store. With the assistance of classroom paraeducators, students fulfill the orders and email their peers once items are ready to be picked up. Students can exchange their tickets for products such as stylus pens or Altona swag. The student store opens every afternoon for 15 minutes.

Participating in the management of the student store provides valuable opportunities for all students at Altona, creating a sense of community and inclusivity. Students from various educational backgrounds actively contribute to the store, helping to build a stronger and supportive school community. As students participate in this experience, they learn skills that will help improve their peer-to-peer communication, organization, and social skills.

“Teaching our students how to work at a job, in a school setting, is one way that we can give the students work experience and help to guide and teach them the skills that they will need in the future,” shared Tanya Whitteker, Special Education Teacher at Altona. “I foresee this store continuing at Altona, as it has had such a tremendous, positive impact on student behavior through our incentives.”