A Closing Note of Gratitude: It Has Been an Honor to Serve

Abstract

As 2020 came to a close, so did our role as editors in chief for the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI; Kern 2013–2020; Lane 2014–2020). We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Hammill Institute, associate editors (Paul Caldarella, Maureen Conroy, Ronnie Detrich, Lise Fox, Jen Freeman, Grace Gengoux, Josh Harrower, Todd Haydon, Melinda Leko, Dan Maggin, Wendy Oakes, Keith Smolkowski, and Melissa Stormont), consulting board members, and contributing authors of the JPBI. It has been an honor to work with each of you in our collective effort to provide the field with high-quality papers reflecting the desired rigor, relevance, and reach. We appreciate the time and effort involved in the process of designing, implementing, and submitting studies and systematic reviews, as well as providing rigorous and respectful feedback. We thank you for your contributions, which have elevated the stature and impact of JPBI in the field of education. Throughout our tenure as co-editors, we have been enormously impressed and inspired by the overwhelming dedication of researchers and practitioners to creating positive, productive, and safe environments within and beyond the school setting. Perhaps now more than ever, as the world is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, JPBI’s mission (to expand the knowledge and practice of effective behavioral support in school, home, and community settings, with a focus on comprehensive outcomes in the lives of children, youth, and adults) holds promise for featuring articles to address the goal of meeting students’ multiple needs in the years ahead in a range of learning contexts: in-person, remote, and hybrid. Educators and families are in urgent need of immediate guidance regarding what works and for whom in these fluctuating learning environments. In addition, we are keenly aware there is also an immediate need for guidance that prioritizes equity, with a clear path forward to identifying and addressing issues of bias in school, home, and community settings. With work already underway, the Positive Behavior Support approach and framework is poised to lead the field in this critical endeavor. We implore readers and practitioners to position the civil rights, quality of life, and behavioral and mental health needs of all children and adults at the forefront of research and practice. These are formidable tasks, indeed, and we are thankful for the incoming editors, Mandy Rispoli from Purdue University and Wendy Machalicek from University of Oregon, as they prepare to feature high-quality inquiry to meet our current and future challenges. Finally, we thank JPBI readers for your commitment to a research-based approach that embraces individual dignity and well-being. We look forward to new leadership for JPBI and trust that the new co-editors will benefit from inspirational practitioners, innovative researchers, and thought-provoking interactions, as have we. We wish you a safe, healthy, and joyful 2021.