Teresa Williams knows most students have a tell when their morning has started badly: Their heads are down, shoulders slumped, and they shuffle forward, lingering at the back of the bus line.
“They try and blend into their surroundings, like they don’t want to be seen,” said Williams, a student-behavior tutor at 450-student Jeeter Primary School in Opelika, Ala.
Every day at 7 a.m., Williams stations herself at the school’s bus and car drop-off points, putting what she calls her “eyes on” students as they arrive. As they alight, Williams can spot students who may be struggling and tries to figure out how to remedy the situation.
The struggles she notices vary: hunger, a fight with another student or a parent, dirty clothes, lack of sleep.
“For some children, a clean set of clothes, a 30-minute nap, and some breakfast can change the course of the day,” said Williams. Spotting these warning signs early prevents problems from escalating into disciplinary issues later, she added.
Catching these warning signs early is like extinguishing a small fire before it spreads, said David Carpenter, the principal at Jeeter Primary.
“Most [poor] behavior stems from an unmet need,” Carpenter said. “Addressing that sooner than later just allows that child to have a fighting chance to be able to have a good day.”
Carpenter hired Williams, a retired elementary school teacher, during the 2018-19 school year to work exclusively on student behavior, communicate with teachers about students who may be struggling on a particular day, and coach newer teachers on how to spot and manage behaviors in their classrooms.
Over the last seven years, the frequency and intensity of disciplinary referrals have come down, said Carpenter.
School data show the total number of days that Jeeter students spent at the district’s alternative school, Opelika Learning Center, fell from 206 days in 2018 to 14 in the 2023-24 school year. The average duration that a student spent at the center dropped from just under four days to two. The only year there was a slight increase in the number of days was right after the pandemic.
Nationwide, educators are grappling with rising levels of student misbehavior. Over the last few years, and especially after the pandemic, the situation has turned bad enough to make teachers want to quit the profession. Student behavior is also a major concern for principals who want to balance softer, more restorative practices with harsher punishment, like out-of-school suspensions.
Over the same period, though, Jeeter Primary saw a substantial dip in the number of suspension days for students. Carpenter credits this dip, in large part, to Williams’ efforts.
“She has a coaching mentality [toward] student behavior,” said Carpenter. “She comes in and tells students, “We’re not good at this behavior right now, but we’re going to get there.”
A bridge between students and teachers
Williams is the point person for any unmet need that a student may have. That means the four to five hours she spends at the school could look very different each day.
Some days, she spends time in the morning with her “breakfast crew,” students who arrive hungry. Other days, she sorts out clean clothes for them, wipes their faces, or chats with them about any challenges they may be facing at home.
Around 8:30 a.m., Williams follows these students into their classrooms, briefing teachers—especially newer ones—about those who may be emotionally fragile or more likely to struggle that day.
Williams’ predictable presence at the bus line every morning can go a long way in making students feel more secure at school, said David Arencibia, a former principal of Colleyville Middle school in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District, Tx., who now helps school leaders create better culture in their buildings.
“Students need consistency and positive relationships,” said Arencibia. “If students know that when they get off the bus, someone’s there to check on them, that simple, consistent action, can defuse the child’s brain … it can alleviate anxiety.”
As a principal, Arencibia implemented similar practices, ensuring staff greeted students and communicated concerns to classroom teachers, a step he said is critical for early de-escalation and relationship-building.
Williams makes sure she creates that link between what happens at drop-off with students and how they behave in front of their teachers.
Her unique role—neither counselor nor an administrator—also makes it easier for teachers to ask her questions or lean on her for support when they struggle with students who misbehave repeatedly.
“For newer teachers, it’s hard when they have done all that they think that they know to do and they’re still having issues,” said Williams.
She shares simple strategies with these teachers to build better relationships with students. For instance, setting expectations around how students should line up for lunch, or for the restroom, can create a more stable and predictable environment. Williams also coaches teachers on spotting the same signs she does at the beginning of the day: Do students look hungry, tired, or upset?
“If they don’t have a grown-up that truly cares about them, that’s what we’ve got to be,” said Williams.
Preventing discipline before it escalates
Carpenter and Williams have also worked together to create a “check-in, checkout” system for students who have racked up referrals and risk being sent to the Opelika Learning Center. The school put the system in place to prevent the last step of sending students outside the school.
The day for those struggling students starts and ends with Carpenter, who gives them a written set of goals to achieve throughout the day. The students carry around that paper to different classes, where teachers are supposed to give them points for attaining the goals.
In the current school year, Carpenter said eight students have gone through the system. This is less than 2% of the students enrolled in the school.
The daily check-ins have helped Carpenter develop a closer relationship with these students, while holding them accountable.
“The students know I’m on their side, and it also lets the parents know I’m not the principal that’s just trying to punish your child. I’m trying to help them,” Carpenter said.
Hiring the right person matters
Carpenter did not initially plan to create a behavior-tutor role.
Williams originally interviewed for a reading tutor’s position, but within minutes into Carpenter’s conversation with the retired educator, the principal had devised a new role for her.
“It’s not a matter of just hiring anybody. You’ve got to find the person who feels like this is their calling, and that’s what they want,” said Carpenter.
In Williams, Carpenter found the combination he was looking for: a teacher with over 25 years of experience, one who’s passionate about helping students, and who’s willing to work part time. Williams doesn’t teach any classes or fulfill administrative tasks.
Hiring for experience alone may not be enough, said Arencibia, the former principal. The “right adult” needs to be out front to greet students and help them work through their challenges.
“Is it a retired teacher with the experience [of creating] good connections with kids or is it just someone with experience?” said Arencibia. “As a principal, you’ve got to put the right people who truly make connections and relationships with students.”
Some adults in a school, even with years of experience, may see the morning greeting only as a duty. If that puts them in a bad mood, it could rub off on a student already struggling to regulate their behavior, Arencibia added.
Carpenter was intentional about who he chose to be a behavior tutor. For the last six years before she joined Jeeter Primary, Williams had been in charge of the technology lab at her previous school, which “ended up being a segue” for students who needed support in school.
“I would feed them, clothe them, get them back into their classrooms,” she said.
When Carpenter heard about that experience, he knew he had zeroed in on the right person.
“Some teachers are more gifted in working with those kids no one else seems to work successfully with. [Williams] has that knack of being able to connect and relate to the child and help them succeed,” said Carpenter.
Sustaining the effort
Every year, Carpenter makes his way to Capitol Hill to lobby with Alabama’s congressional delegation. He presses them to increase, or at the very least, maintain Title funding. At present, Williams’ compensation—$30/hour—comes entirely from the Title I funding aimed at disadvantaged kids that the school gets.
Without Title I money, Carpenter said that hiring someone like Williams would be difficult. The school also leverages local and state funding, but Title I funds have more flexibility in what they’re used for.
Williams’ work with students often becomes the centerpiece of his lobbying efforts. “I tell them the money really helps kids down the road. It’s a ripple effect, but you can’t put your finger on it just yet.”
