Case Study: Indian Springs High School achieves dramatic drops in suspensions and a positive school culture with Hero K12

How a San Bernardino High School shattered the belief that challenging urban schools cannot benefit from a positive behavior program

Indian Springs High School, a San Bernardino campus serving students from one of the nation’s poorest, highest-crime communities, faced daily challenges from trauma, poverty, and instability that undermined learning and safety. Principal Jacob Rosario prioritized building a positive school climate and partnered with Hero K12, implementing the Hero behavior program to create consistent, school-wide expectations and recognition for positive choices.

Hero K12’s solution—piloted in September and then rolled out across the whole site—focused on frequent positive check-ins, consistent teacher recognition, and simple incentives (including a popular weekly school store) to reinforce good behavior. The school measured baseline behavior and tracked outcomes; as a result, major disciplinary incidents dropped dramatically (just three suspensions/referrals this year), student engagement surged (often 120+ students waiting for the school store), and staff shifted from reactive discipline to proactive recognition under Hero K12’s program.

Indian Springs High School

Jacob Rosario

Vice Principal