Out-of-school time: "A supervised program that young people regularly attend when school is not in session. This can include before- and after- school programs on a school campus or facilities such as academic programs (e.g., reading or math focused programs), specialty programs (e.g., sports teams, STEM, arts enrichment), and multipurpose programs that provide an array of activities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)." https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/ost.htm
Strategies for Establishing School-OST-Family Partnerships in Support of SEL
Focus Area 3 Continuous Improvement Connections
There are a variety of data sources that can be used to continuously improve how SEL is implemented for students.
Assess needs and resources to develop an SEL implementation plan with clear goals, action steps, and assigned ownership.
By making the time to build the relationships that allow learners to feel a sense of community- that they are “in this together”- teachers create a safer, more equitable environment where all students participate and achieve.
Establish structures to support consistent two-way SEL communications between the SEL team and all stakeholders.
Foster supportive classroom environments that engage in explicit SEL and integrate SEL throughout instruction.
Leverage strategic and aligned community partnerships that ensure students receive consistent SEL supports, increase access to a broad range of community services, and expand the professional learning opportunities for SEL.
Integration of SEL and Instruction
Social and emotional competencies serve as a foundation for achieving academic goals, while academic instruction also provides a ripe opportunity for teaching and practicing SEL.
Explicit SEL instruction refers to consistent opportunities for students to cultivate, practice, and reflect on social and emotional competencies in ways that are developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive.
While your team works to align school discipline policies to SEL, it’s important to ensure that all classrooms consistently reinforce a student-centered approach to discipline.