School Wide Social Emotional Programming

Every Learner Counts (Elementary School)

Sun Valley has a whole school curriculum intended to deepen our school community through common school wide language and lessons. Through monthly themes we emphasize the following aspects of social-emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. 


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Peace Partners

Peace Partners are students who serve as role models in our school community during their lunch and recess breaks a few times each week. They receive training in problem solving, and they often help out when there is a conflict between students. They also help oversee our Buddy Bench, and they are always on the look out for students that might need help finding or making a new friend.

Restorative Circles

Circles are a structured way of helping students get to the heart of an issue. Teachers, parents, or students can call a circle anytime they need help building or restoring a relationship. This could be because of a conflict, misunderstanding, or disagreement between students. It could also be because a child is feeling lonely or left out, and we are looking for ways to build new friendships. During a circle, we do not focus on past problems, but rather look at ways we can support each other moving forward. We also have specialized techniques if we are dealing with a bullying type situation.

Monthly Themes

Every month we have a theme of focus for the entire school. Families will receive information on our themes each month so that you can reinforce social emotional activites and practices at home. Each week we have a "word of the week" that is related to our theme. Student can earn "shout outs" by showing particular citizenship traits realted to our themes during weekly announcements. We have schoolwide activities that correspond to themes as well as connect with social-emotional learning partners such as Beyond Differences, The Sandy Hook Project, The Great Kindness Challenge and more.

Groups

Placing students into small groups for focused lessons and activities provides more in depth practice on key student success skills. Kinders, 1st and 2nd graders take part in "friendship clubs." These groups give children a chance to practice social skills such as taking turns, active listening, joining in a group, and making new friends. For 3rd, 4th, and 5th grader groups we tend to focus on leadership skills and personal empowerment. Through games and crafts we cover topics such as setting personal goals, managing difficult emotions, effective team work, building self-confidence, and being an assertive communicator. We also have specialized groups that focus on executive skills (such as focus, concentration, and impulse control) and stress management. We have a fun, interactive curriculum that helps kids see the value in taking control of their actions so that they can chose behavior wisely.

Classroom Lessons

Guidance Lessons. Throughout the year, students will be joined by the counselor in their classroom to teach mini lessons on topics such as empathy, emotional regulation, and effective problem solving. We use a variety of social emotional tools including Soul Shoppe, Second Step, Kimochis, Zones of Regulation, Positive Powers and Digital Citizenship. Check out the Resource Section for more information on these programs.

Mindfulness

One of our most important school wide tools is mindfulness: paying attention to the present moment with kindness and curiosity so that we can choose our behavior. We have a mindfulness coach that works in the classrooms and in small group settings on developing mindful strategies students can use anytime. Our teachers use mindfulness throughout the day to help kids stay calm and focused.

Consulatations and Individual Counseling

I am available to help process or problem solve situations unique to your child and family, and do work with students in individual settings. School counseling is not the same as child therapy, social work, or school psychological services. I can, however, provide a community resource list if this is the type of support you believe is needed for your child.

School Initiatives

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Counselors are in position to collaborate with the administration team and staff to determine how to reinforce school wide goals through use of school wide activities. Examples of school wide initiatives with which I have worked include:

• Mindful Schools
• Beyond Differences/No Child Eats Alone
• Partners Against Hate
• Grandma Rose No Bullying Campaign
• The Ophelia Project to End Relational Aggression in Schools 
• Digital Citizenship
• Restorative Justice in Schools
• Restorative Practices in Conflict Management 
• Seven Habits of Happy Kids
• No Bully
• Project Adventure
• No Place for Hate/Anti-Defamation League
• Directing Change
• Each Mind Matters
• Second Step
• Soul Shoppe
• Social Thinking
• Kimochis

School initiatives can be responsive to the needs of the school, or they can be intentional development of school culture. As a counselor, I believe an important component of my work is to help school's define their culture, promote healthy habits, and build character strengths in students in addition to academic progress.

CLICK HERE to see more information about Character Education and a sample calendar for school wide activities.​

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Peer Leadership

Peer leadership programs can include the development of peer mediation programs utilizing restorative practices; oversight of peer to peer mentor-ship activities; student council leadership; student modeling and monitoring programs; or supporting other peer led activities that benefit the school climate.