SLL Monthly Newsletter

This month we will kick off our second SLL unit on "Being Resilient". Students will learn that things in life don’t always go as expected. During the first part of this unit, students will learn that challenges can serve as opportunities for growth as well as the importance of staying focused and motivated to accomplish a goal or task. They will learn that when faced with a problem they can use the steps of a problem solving process to solve it or when they need to ask for help. In addition, students will learn how expressing gratitude can strengthen relationships and improve their overall health and happiness.

• September 28 - October 2: Identifying Strengths & Areas for Growth (Self-Awareness): Strengths are the skills and abilities that are easy for us. Areas for growth are the skills and abilities that don’t come easy to us. Knowing our own strengths and opportunities for growth gives us a better understanding of ourselves.
• October 5 - 9: Having a Growth Mindset (Resiliency)-When you have a growth mindset you believe that you can learn whatever it is you are trying to learn. You see challenges as opportunities to grow. Positive self-talk is linked to having a growth mindset.
• October 13-16: Setting & Achieving Goals (Resiliency)- A goal is a statement about something you want to get better at. Setting goals provides you with a focus and helps you stay motivated.
• October 19-23: Staying Focused & Motivated (Resiliency)- Completing tasks and achieving your goals is not always easy. This is why it is important to know how to work through stress and stay focused and motivated. This will help you stay on track to reach your long term goals. Practicing mindfulness strategies and positive self-talk can help you stay motivated and focus your attention on the task.

• October 26 - October 30: Flex Week/Red Ribbon Week- You may want to use this week to review any SLL themes and/or Red Ribbon Week Campaign activities. In grades 6-12, you may want to teach the skills as outlined in the 6-12 FLDOE’s Substance Use and Abuse Health Standards.

SDPBC educators can find lessons and resources to support these SLL Themes on our SLL Resource Center under the "Elementary", "Middle School", and "High School" tab. To access the SLL Resource Center, log in to your District portal and search "SLL". Click on the SLL Heart Tile.

• 11 Best Growth Mindset Activities for Adults (Positive Psychology)
• The Power of Belief - Mindset and Success (Ted Talk)
• Mindset Check Activity (Grow Your Mindset)

Here is a menu of options of possible ways to extend SLL themes that are being explicitly taught from Unit 2 throughout the school day so students have the opportunity to apply and/or reflect on these skills. Please keep in mind that this list is not grade level specific so it is important that you select ideas (or adapt ideas) that are developmentally appropriate and align to your grade level standards and expectations.

The SLL Family & Caregiver Unit Letters provide families and caregivers with information about the SLL Themes that are being addressed in each unit. It provides possible ideas for discussion questions and family activities to reinforce each SLL Theme at home.

• English Letter
• Spanish Letter
• Haitian Creole Letter
• Portuguese Letter

You can access the October & November High School SLL Ideas as well as the December & January High School SLL Ideas to reinforce the SLL Essential Idea for Unit 2: Being Resilient. These activities can be used as Welcoming Rituals, Engaging Practices, and/or Optimistic Closures in High School. For explicit lessons to support Unit 2's themes, check out the "High School" tab on our SLL Resource Center.

Our second book of the quarter is Shark Lady by Jess Keating. This true story tells how Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks from the first moment she saw them at the aquarium. After earning several college degrees and making countless discoveries, Eugenie wrote herself into the history of science, earning the nickname "Shark Lady." Through her accomplishments, she taught the world that sharks were to be admired rather than feared.

Click here for read aloud ideas, classroom extension activities, school-wide announcement ideas and activities, and more.

These prompts and activities can be used as Welcoming Rituals, Engaging Practices, and/or Optimistic Closures. The SLL Explicit Lessons for each theme has been linked each week. Please note that YouTube links may have ads on them so you should have the video cued up to go so students don’t view the ads.

This cohort will meet during the Spring semester (Jan. thru Mar.) The text for this book study is Permission to Feel by Dr. Marc Brackett and centers around emotion regulation. The book will be ponied to each participant who enrolls. Every session will provide you with opportunities to discuss the assigned reading with a small group of participants as well as engaging in purposeful self-reflection. Participants who complete this cohort will receive a digital Badge and be awarded 6 in-service points

When does the cohort meet?

This cohort will meet three times via Google Meet on Thursdays from either 8:00-9:00am or 3:00-4:00pm. Participants can select the time that works best for them.

• Thursday, January 14 , 2027

• Thursday, February 11, 2027

• Thursday, March 18, 2027

How to sign up?

Complete this Google Form by Friday, December 18, 2026, to secure your spot in the cohort group. Once your spot is confirmed you will receive an email and calendar invites for your sessions. Your book will be ponied to you in December.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Shannon Caruso at shannon.caruso@palmbeachschools.org.

The Resiliency Palm Beach Instruction Guide can be used in conjunction with the Scope & Sequence to reinforce weekly resiliency characteristics. This guide includes morning announcements, extension activities, and recognition resources to honor students who demonstrate resiliency.

Separate guides are available for Elementary and Secondary, along with certificates and images in the Resiliency Palm Beach certificates folder:

• FY27 Elementary Resiliency Palm Beach Instruction Guide
• FY27 Secondary Resiliency Palm Beach Instruction Guide
• Resiliency Palm Beach Certificates

Schools are encouraged to send home the Resiliency Florida's resources linked below to families and caregivers to support this month's Resiliency Characteristics: Self-Awareness & Self-Management

• K-2 Parent Resource
• 3-5 Parent Resource
• 6-8 Parent Resource
• 9-12 Parent Resource

For those of you who are interested in the state's Resiliency Educator Endorsement, please note this course is run fully through the Florida Department of Education. You will use this link to register for the course. Once you fill out the form, it takes the state about 2 - 3 weeks to verify your information and then you will receive an email from FLDOE with the link to the course page.

A couple of things to note:

• Once you begin the course, you have 60 days to complete the course
• Unlike other endorsement courses the state has offered, this one does not offer a stipend
• There are lesson plan/application activities you will need to complete for each module
• Once you complete the course and receive your certificate of completion, you can apply for your endorsement to be added to your credentials on the FLDOE website; in addition, you can enroll in the eLM course by searching for "Resiliency Endorsement" and you will receive inservice points for the coursework

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Kanusky, SLL & Health Education Program Planner (michael.kanusky@palmbeachschools.org)