If one looks closely enough it is possible to see the first hints of spring -- little buds are appearing on bushes and trees, the first spring bulbs are peaking out of the leftover autumn leaves, the birds and squirrels are getting busy, and the days are getting longer. March has always been a month of change - after all it is the month that 'comes in like a lion and out like lamb'. This week we have been reflecting on the two years since the world turned upside down with the arrival of the pandemic (we continue to be in awe of all of you!) and the continued significant impact on all aspects of education. We have also now been challenged to process and construct conversations about the war in Ukraine. Below in this newsletter, we have included a number of helpful resources about how to talk to children and young people about war. Something we never imagined we would ever have to share. In spite of these very difficult times, there continues to be much to be grateful for and to celebrate - in many ways spring and SEL Day could not have come at a better time! If you have created an artifact please share a tweet with us! If you don't have an artifact you can still play an important role - see below for details on how to help spread the word and celebrate how New Jersey schools have spread love and kindness throughout their school communities. |
We all can play a role in spreading the wonderful messages that envelope SEL Day – kindness, love, respect and the list goes on!
To help share the vibe on March 11th and get #SELDay trending please be sure to share the amazing artifacts you have created (and there are lots of them!). They are amazing! And as one clever person once said "every leader needs a follower" – let’s all be the most amazing followers ever!
Below you will find all the information you will need.
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RETWEET + LIKE any SEL-related posts (The goal is to get #SELDay trending worldwide) Tip: Explore the hashtag #SELDay to see what people are tweeting about and see what @SEL4NJ, @SEL4US, @UrbanAssembly are posting
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If you have an SEL artifact, be sure to schedule your posts for March 11th using the hashtag #SELDay and tag @SEL4NJ and @CultureClimate
We loved all of the artifacts you created last year! If you create an artifact this year, email SEL4NJ and SCCI a copy with the theme of your artifact included in the subject line so we can tweet and share it on SEL Day!
We are so excited to showcase and highlight the amazing SEL (broadly defined) work taking place in schools throughout NJ!
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Still Looking for Inspiration? Easy to Plan Last Minute SEL Day Activities:
- Have your students create a playlist of cheerful songs
- Have students write a short poem about what kindness or respect means to them...better yet let them choose the word!
- It is always fun to create - music, dance, artwork...let their inspiration be an SEL theme!
- Have a discussion about how to make their classroom/school a little bit better - share some of their ideas through a video or on a poster!
SEL Day 2022 Events
Click here for some of the amazing events that will be held throughout the day tomorrow! These are free, open to the public and focused on general showcasing, promotion, advocacy, and support for SEL.
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In DOE Digest with the New Jersey Department of Education, host Dr. Ken Bond and guests discuss educating New Jersey's 1.4 million students. DOE Digest is based on the simple premise that, as educators, the greatest resource we have is each other. It is a platform for information exchange that highlights the work being done by innovative and transformative educators around the state.
In this episode, Ken discusses social and emotional learning (SEL) and school climate with Kathy Ehling, Colin Hogan, Karin Stanton, Lauren Gunther, and Felicia Henderson. Listen now
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School Support Network (SSN) meetings are free and everyone is welcome to attend. Share with your colleagues! |
"Spring Renewal: Unearth your current state of being and plant seeds for a healthy end of the 2021-22 school year"
March 16 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Reflect on the strengths and challenges you have experienced this school year and set goals for a positive close to 2021-22. We will share together as a community and learn what other educators are thinking and planning. Be prepared to feel reinvigorated with an optimistic mindset toward the future.
Presented by: Erica Brentan, Consultant, School Culture and Climate Initiative
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Save the Dates
See below for April and May topics and presenters.
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Coffee chats are virtual gatherings that allow schools to connect with one another. Participants have shared successes, challenges, and ideas with their colleagues during our past coffee chats. Coffee chats are held from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. and are open for all to attend.
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These are coffee chats where we bring together educators in similar roles. While collaborating with colleagues in diverse roles has its advantages, gathering with those in the same professional role allows you to explore more in-depth job-specific concerns, issues and potential strategies.
These coffee chats are held from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Administrator Network
March 23
School Counselor Network
April 13
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"Preparing for the Masks to Come Off: Creating a culture of compassion and kindness that will help ALL through this latest transition"
Facilitated by: Trish Heindel and Liz Warner, Co-Directors of the School Culture and Climate Initiative
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Tenafly Middle School
At Tenafly Middle School (TMS), the staff Culture and Climate Team is a well-oiled machine: meetings are set at the beginning of the year and held for an hour and a half every month, substitutes cover teachers' classes, members of the staff team are engaged, thoughtful and action-oriented, and the team leaders routinely meet in advance to set the agenda and discuss what would be most impactful for the culture and climate of the school. Early on during the pandemic, the administration set virtual "office hours" every week to encourage open communication - this promoted a positive staff climate and lead them to the great work they are doing now.
The administration at TMS is very supportive of the culture and climate work in the school and help to move the work forward. For example, based on survey data that showed "School Discipline" as an area of improvement, the assistant principal created a follow-up survey to ask teachers more in-depth questions about their opinions about school discipline. The data was brought to the team for further discussion and action items are set to be made at the next meeting. The principal also dedicates time during whole-staff faculty meetings to discuss issues that have come up at the culture and climate team meetings. For example, a faculty meeting will be held in March for staff to analyze students' weekly homework loads.
Equally as strong is the TMS Student Team. The student team meets regularly to give voice to the concerns of the student body. Surveys are often created and sent out to the entire student population and then shared with the staff team. Most recently, members of the student team were brought into a staff climate team meeting to share their opinions about the academic pressure of the school. They intend to record a roundtable discussion with the student climate team to share with all staff during a faculty meeting. As mentioned above, a whole staff meeting will be dedicated to making sure that students are not overly burdened with homework.
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Helping Kids Cope with War |
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Events are uncertain for children. They look to teachers as well as to parents to make them feel safe in a time of war. Below are are few resources that can help you teach your students about resilience.
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Upcoming School Support Network Meetings |
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"Spring Renewal: Unearth your current state of being and plant seeds for a healthy end of the 2021-22 school year"
March 16 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Reflect on the strengths and challenges you have experienced this school year and set goals for a positive close to 2021-22. We will share together as a community and learn what other educators are thinking and planning. Be prepared to feel reinvigorated with an optimistic mindset toward the future.
Presented by: Erica Brentan, Consultant, School Culture and Climate Initiative
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"Getting Ready for 2022-2023: Countering Spirit Loss to Achieve Learning Gain and Student and Staff Mental Health"
April 27 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
The 2022-23 school year will continue to be filled with emotional turmoil for students and staff. Under those conditions, attempting to maximize instructional time to help students “catch up” will not only fail to lead to lasting academic gains, it will increase mental health difficulties. We first must heal the loss of spirit, optimism, and enthusiasm that has pervaded our schools, and hearts, since COVID. SEL/SECD points us in the right direction. Dr. Elias will share some of the “road signs” to help us get started with countering Spirit Loss during the rest of this school year, and prepare for the year ahead.
Presented by: Maurice Elias, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Rutgers University; Director, Rutgers Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab; Co-Director, Academy for Social-Emotional Learning in Schools
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"Reconnecting With Your Strengths: Revitalizing Connection" - Bergen County
In-person Meeting
May 4 from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Sage Alliance, 900 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ
Please join us for our first in-person SSN meeting in two years! We are thrilled to have Sage Day school in Mahwah host this timely SSN meeting which will focus on the importance of connection. Throughout the morning we will explore how and why a strength based approach is so effective and also so much more fun! In addition, we will also be participating in an art therapy experiential activity facilitated by Kelly Amaniera ATR-BC, LPC, NCC, and Amanda Wagner, Psy.D., LPC of New Alliance Academy. This collaborative art directive will help to redefine and reignite compassion for self and others in order to revitalize our educational communities. This activity will help demonstrate how Gary Chapman’s (1992) Five Love Languages can be applied in the workplace to enhance connections with co-workers and students.
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Resources, Webinars, and PD |
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Article: "Students Train to Spot Peers With Mental Health Struggles and Guide Them to Help"
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the mental health struggles that were already proliferating among young people. Many schools are trying to expand their rosters of adult specialists who can provide support. But some are tapping an additional source, too: the students themselves. School districts are training teenagers to spot early signs of mental health problems in their peers and connect them with adults who can help. Read more
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NJ Mental Health Resource Guide
"This comprehensive Guide is designed to support school districts to develop, implement, and evaluate mental health supports and services using a multi-tiered system of supports. While the Guide is lengthy, we tried to incorporate some features to assist the user identify what would be most helpful to their work (i.e., detailed table of contents, icons, consistent layout of chapters, etc.). In addition to containing a lot of content, each chapter also contains a summary, examples of implementation in NJ schools, hyperlinked resources, templates, and reflection questions."
Congratulations and thank you to the many involved throughout the state in creating such a valuable, helpful resource!
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2022 National Social and Emotional Learning Conference (Virtual) May 17-18
Register now for the virtual 2022 National Social and Emotional Learning Conference, May 17-18. Awareness and Action is our theme with goals of cultivating awareness and taking action to create a positive school climate that supports academic success and student engagement.
Liz Warner and Trish Heindel will be presenting "Integrated and Systemic SEL: How to Ensure Success, Impact and Sustainability" on May 17th from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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"Youth Mental Health First Aid"
The Northeast and Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) can provide Youth Mental Health First Aid to your school or organization at no cost. "Youth Mental Health First Aid" is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders."
If you are interested in receiving training, please email us.
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School Culture and Climate Initiative
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