RSU 9 gets a social and emotional learning exercise [Beuzz]

The RSU 9 board moves around the room to find the side representing their preference of being a morning person or an evening person on Tuesday, July 11. The intent of the activity was to find ways to bond with each other. Photo submitted

FARMINGTON – Regional School Unit 9 Board of Trustees presented on SEL [social and emotional learning] at their board meeting on Tuesday, July 11. Liz LeClair, accommercial arts tEach student at the Mt. Blue campus made the presentation along with Assistant Superintendent Monique Poulin and Acting Principal of Mt. Blue High School, Joel Smith.

The board of directors was already presented to SEL at the end of June last year. LeClair, along with former curriculum director Laura Columbia, and Angela Ostiguy, a social worker at Mt. Blue Middle School, presented for SEL as part of a strategic plan for the 2022 school year- 2023.

SEL attendees included LeClair, Smith, Columbia, Acting Vice Principal Greg Henderson, WG Mallett School Principal Tracy Williams, teachers Tess Cote and Reilly Romanoski of Mt. Blue Middle School, Devon Hall of the school Academy Hill, School Counselor Merrily Welch of Mt. Blue Middle School, Katie Fournier of Cascade Brook School, RSU 9 Principal Libby Kaut and Senior Associate Emily Gilmore.

“What is SEL,” Smith told the board. “I think there’s a lot of information and stuff out there, but SEL is basically how people, students, parents, community members, acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes. so that they can manage their emotions, learn empathy, and then make responsible decisions on the move. Before.”

SEL is a product of CASEL [Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning], a nonprofit organization established in 1994 that has led the SEL movement for more than two decades, according to its website. The mission statement is to integrate social and emotional learning into the school curriculum.

To demonstrate this, the council organized two exercises. Their first exercise involved the board members and the public reaching out to each other and sharing good news with everyone. Directors Kyle Fletcher and Rich Ruhlin shared their good news with the whole room after the exercise was over.

“My wife and I have great news today,” Fletcher said. “For anyone who doesn’t know, we have a five-year-old who was in pre-kindergarten class at [G. D. Cushing School], and we received his newsletter today. The social and the emotional went from one to two to three. »

Ruhlin added: “So for years, for 25 years, I coached many sports, but baseball was one of them at SAD 55. My youngest daughter played baseball with me; she hated it, but she only did it because it was father/daughter time.

Ruhlin went on to say that he and his daughter went to a Portland Sea Dogs game and had a father/daughter bond. “It was fantastic,” he said.

The second activity involved panel members standing in the center of the room and moving from side to side depending on their preference for the question being asked. For example, they were asked if they preferred sweet or salty foods. The board members shuffled into each other and went to their respective sides.

“I can tell you from a corporate leadership perspective, these are exactly the types of drills that are engaged, for those watching, throughout your professional career,” Ruhlin said.

The results of the one-year SEL program saw marked improvement in several areas. A survey was collected from participating teachers with 154 responses collected to formulate the data. Understanding of CASEL skills increased from 44.2% to 85.7%, observation of the links between school and classroom policies and practices increased from 59.7% to 89.6%, and confidence in implementing skills increased from 48.7% to 82.5%.

“Everyone gave great feedback and some of them were more positive about the experience and some just gave us great feedback to improve our offerings for next year,” Poulin said.

Loading….