Learning Climate: The "quality and character of school life" based on how members of the school community experience school and the school's "norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching, learning and leadership practices, and organizational structures" (Reference: National School Climate Council). National School Climate Council
Align schoolwide systems, policies, programs, and practices to promote SEL for students.
Establish a structured, ongoing process to collect, reflect on, and use implementation and outcome data to inform school-level decisions and drive improvements to SEL implementation.
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.
Involve the full school community
Decisions about why and how to implement SEL should be made with the input of the broader school community. Lay the foundations for strong buy-in by ensuring all understand what SEL is and how it connects to their role and what they value. Establish two-way communication structures to invite perspectives, ideas, and feedback from staff, […]
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Focus Area 2: Continuous Improvement Connections
A safe and supportive school climate is an important factor for improving academic, behavioral, and mental health outcomes for students (Thapa, 2013).
Build on Strengths and Experience
Schools, like the greater society, are becoming increasingly more diverse in culture, ethnicity, race, language, values, and beliefs. This diversity has countless positive benefits, but it can also present challenges.
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.
Implement and reflect on data to continuously improve
The SEL team meets regularly to drive the action plan forward, reflect on new data, and continuously improve SEL implementation to meet established SEL goals and respond to needs that arise.