Happy December!
December 6th, 2024
DKES Update
Our classrooms are full of opportunities for students to work on their social-emotional skill building. We have implemented both community circles and our 2nd Step curriculum. Teachers are using the Casel 5 interwoven into their instruction to continue to help our students make connections and understand how Self-awareness, Self-management, Responsible Decision-making, Relationship skills, and Social awareness is shown throughout their day at school and at home.
Ms. Jamie our school counselor and Mrs. Webster (Kindergarten teacher) are working with Mrs. Webster's kindergarteners on how to make a friend. They are learning to smile, say "hi", ask to play, invite others to play, ask questions and listen to answers to show they care about and are interested in their friend.
Ms. Jamie is also working with Mrs. Landa's 3rd graders on learning to identify their emotions and use words to express those emotions. This will lead later into developing coping skills to manage these emotions. One tool they are using is The Zones Of Regulation. It allows students to understand what kind of space they are in emotionally and their energy level without having to know exactly what they are feeling. This is a step in the process of moving towards identifying what they are feeling.
The 3rd and 4th grade Student Focus Team have also been hard at work planning and prepping for The Great Kindness Challenge that will be held at the elementary in the month of January. The Great Kindness Challenge is a national program that encourages students and staff to focus on learning about and practicing kindness. Some of the ideas the students want to focus on is expressing themselves with "I statements" and using a "Bug and a Wish" along with how to respond when someone shares their feelings with you. Additionally, the Student Focus Team would like to teach self control strategies and help promote empathy and compassion to others, specifically others that are different from themselves.
DKMS Update
Hello DKS Panther community! I’m here to give you an update on what the Delton Kellogg Schools Whole Child Initiative looks like in the middle school. Our focus is on teaching students about Social and Emotional Learning using the Casel 5 framework of:
Self Awareness
Self Management
Responsible Decision-Making
Relationship Skills
Social Awareness
We believe by focusing on these 5 areas, students will be able to regulate their emotions, have better relationships with their peers and teachers, and improve academically as well as socially. We do this by using the SecondStep online program and have Community Circle Meetings each Wednesday.
The Second Step program is a research-based, Tier 1 SEL program for Kindergarten through Grade 8. The classroom-based lessons and activities are designed to strengthen students’ social-emotional skills, such as managing strong emotions, setting and working toward goals, building friendships, having empathy for others, and solving conflicts with peers. Our teachers in the middle school teach these grade-level lessons throughout the year and each new year students build on their previous knowledge and experiences. The goal is to have our students have a wealth of knowledge and strategies to use so that they can be successful both academically and socially.
Our weekly community circles give students the opportunity to practice the Casel 5 skills. Having students face one another and communicate in a very structured environment helps each student learn how to talk to one another, listen to one another, and trust one another. The goal with our community circles is that with practice and time our students will be able to communicate with each other and staff in various scenarios and be able to advocate for themselves in a positive and productive manner.
DKHS Update
The High School Mental Health Ambassadors have been active in preparing the new Student Wellness Room. Painting is almost done, with some throw rugs, furniture, and resources ready to be placed in the room. This space will be used in a variety of ways to support students and their mental health needs. Our SEB lessons along with Community Circles are helping build relationships and give kids some tools to manage their emotions and support others. We are seeing many examples of kids living out these lessons.
