SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING Program

Kathleen Lau, Counselor at Park Elementary School

In the fall of 2006 Park Elementary began the process of evaluating the culture of the school. Looking at teacher, parent, and student input, they identified areas of strength and areas of weakness. The school had many strengths but a consistent area of concern was how students treated each other.

With the help of Dr. Mark Fallon-Cyr, and now retired principal Marcie Denham, the staff at Park set off to create a new culture at the school. After extensively researching numerous curriculums that would address the concerns of the current student culture, they located a program that would best meet their students' needs.

This program entitled, The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), is a strength-based approach to education that encompasses 5 critical components which are committed to developing life skills in all who are involved. These components are:

1. Self-awareness
Recognizing one's emotions and values as well as one's strengths and limitations.

2. Self-management
Managing emotions and behaviors to achieve one's goals.

3. Social awareness
Showing understanding and empathy for others.

4. Relationship skills
Forming positive relationships, working in teams, and dealing effectively with conflict.

5. Responsible decision-making
Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behavior.

Since the implementation phase began in January of 2008, the staff and students at Park are seeing many of the anticipated gains through the institution of this program. They are experiencing:

Better prepared students
Beginning use of common language and expectation throughout the building
Attempts at improved attendance
Increased understanding of problematic behaviors
Improved connectedness to students
Improved leadership skills
Easing of classroom management
More attention to school work
Better connections with families
Improved relationships with staff and community
Being part of the cutting edge in education
Increased satisfaction, fun, and joy of learning and teaching

This program has become such a success that they have now integrated parents, families and the community in their efforts of expanding this program. In fact, the excitement of the results created at Park Elementary has laid the ground work for our middle schools to adopt this program too in the near future.

DFEE has definitely been an integral component of this entire process. The Daniels' Grant received via DFEE, has allowed Park Elementary to train their entire staff as well as provide the means to able to expand this program now to Florida Mesa Elementary School this year. With the assistance of DFEE, their support and belief in our efforts, this program has become a great success.

Park Elementary School is forever grateful to DFEE for their help.

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