2022-2023:

Our staff worked closely with our district coordinator for Mental Health, Social Emotional Learning and Counselling programs. Many of our Professional Development opportunities had an SEL focus and were co-designed with our Pro D committee and district coordinator.  

Our staff completed the E.A.S.E training (Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Educators) and worked with our new district resource, Pillars of Literacy to explore SEL lesson planning.

We also looked at teacher self-care and participated in an SEL book club which met regularly to discuss and review Dr. Jody Carrington’s book, ‘Kids These Days’.

We had a team committed to an SEL inquiry grant and worked closely with our IST consultant as well as with our district coordinator to begin to explore: How an SEL focus withing our practice and pedagogy might increase student emotional literacy and self-regulation skills. We wondered what impact this would have on student success and engagement.

Many teachers & classes explored integrating more SEL focused pedagogy: beginning & ending the day in circle, incorporating a feeling check in, using the mood meter, creating calming corners/spaces, and having easily accessible self-regulation tools. As well, our Family Teams committee designed numerous SEL focused school wide activities.

We interviewed students & surveyed students. We then had teachers meet in grade groups and work with our district coordinator to review our student voice and determine where we have been with SEL, where we are now and where we need to go next. Please see the evidence post for more detailed information.

We found that most of our students feel safe at school, like coming to school and believe their teacher likes and cares about them. These findings align with our collective school focus on belonging.

Based on out student data, DESSA survey and CASEL survey information, we have learned that self-awareness and social awareness have emerged as areas within SEL to strengthen next school year.