News

Positive Discipline (PD) is the program ACDS uses to train teachers and parents how to teach children social and life skills by building their confidence and sense of belonging, unlike punitive models of behavior management. Positive Discipline uses encouragement instead of rewards and punishments to help children learn self-regulation, problem-solving, and communication skills. It is one of the fastest-growing social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in the United States, used in more than 25,000 schools. ACDS is in its fifth year as a Positive Discipline school.

This year, Almaden Country Day School (ACDS) proudly became a Positive Discipline Lab School, joining a global network dedicated to the deep and consistent implementation of the social-emotional philosophy founded by Dr. Jane Nelsen and based on the theoretical work of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs.

What Does It Mean to Be a PDA Lab School?

Becoming a Lab School isn’t just a label — it’s a long-term commitment. To qualify, a school must be consistently implementing Positive Discipline (PD) across four core areas: leadership, faculty and staff, students (at all grade levels), and families. Lab Schools work closely with Positive Discipline Certified Trainers and use a wide variety of Positive Discipline resources to integrate the concepts across the whole school community. All teachers have been certified to use the Positive Discipline in the Classroom activities with students to deepen the effectiveness of class meetings where students come together to solve real-life challenges. Parent education opportunities are offered for all age levels so that parents and families can also build their Positive Discipline skills.

At ACDS, this means living the PD principles — kindness + firmness, shared problem-solving, mutual respect, and a common language across classrooms and home.

How This Journey Began

Positive Discipline Lead Trainer Cathy Kawakami was one of the founding facilitators of the Positive Discipline Lab School program. Cathy reflects, “It came about because of the schools I’ve worked with deeply in the South Bay — we wanted to share what we were doing here with other schools…how we can continue to learn and grow together with deliberate intention.” Now, she and representatives from the Positive Discipline Lab Schools meet nine to ten times per year to share ideas, enhance their skills, and encourage more schools to practice the deeply respectful concepts.

The program began in  2019, with eight Lab Schools, and has grown to nearly three dozen worldwide. ACDS is now part of that growing, supportive community where we are able to share our experiences implementing the concepts and also learn from school leaders around the world. Our Head of Early Childhood & Elementary Education, Mrs. Jane Murphy, submitted a comprehensive application to join Positive Discipline Lab Schools for the opportunity to “collaborate, talk to other educators, to share and to be inspired, to keep ideas fresh, and to continue to move Positive Discipline forward at ACDS.”

Mrs. Murphy also emphasizes the power of parent involvement: “I hope we draw families who believe in this kind of community — that is culturally responsive and welcoming and supportive and encouraging.”

The Application & Responsibilities

Becoming a Lab School involved a comprehensive application, including evidence of ongoing work with a trainer, plus a real demonstration of emotional, financial, and time commitment. Once accepted, ACDS agreed to:

• Participate in meetings with other Lab Schools
   
• Share learnings and challenges — contributing ideas, being transparent, and learning from peers
   
• Promote PD across the community — ensuring that students, parents, and staff use the same respectful language and problem-solving tools
   
• Foster belonging & significance — through regular class meetings, student empowerment, and intentional inclusion of families and faculty in the process

Why This Matters for ACDS Families

For ACDS, Positive Discipline isn’t just about behavior — it’s central to fulfilling the school’s mission. The PD Lab School model helps anchor the school’s promise of care, belonging, safety, and balance for every child. It gives teachers formal training, helps students feel empowered in problem-solving, and supports parents with consistent strategies to reinforce those same values at home.

ACDS sees parent partnership as vital, and using Positive Discipline as a shared framework helps unify everyone's vision, language, and daily practice. Kawakami adds, “I appreciate the invitation to continually train with the ACDS community — parents, teachers, students, admin — to deepen their understanding and implementation of Positive Discipline concepts.”

Looking Ahead: A Continuous Commitment

Becoming a Lab School isn’t a one-time achievement. ACDS participates in an annual re-application cycle: the school must continue to meet or exceed the PDA Lab School criteria and contribute positively to the wider Lab School community. This ensures PD remains dynamic, growing, and responsive — not static.

Bottom line for parents: ACDS’s new status as a Positive Discipline Lab School represents a deeply intentional investment in the whole community — students, families, and educators — to build a culture of respect, connection, and shared responsibility. It also elevates ACDS in a wider network of schools committed to student wellness and the balance of academic challenge, character development, and joy that define the ACDS experience.

Upcoming Parent Workshops for Positive Discipline:

January 20, 2026
Empowering Anxious Children With Resilience
SAM Center - Room #76
8:15-9:15 AM
 

February 26, 2026
The Power and Practice of Encouragement
Online
7:30-8:30 PM