What's JOY Got to Do With It?

Emily Dickinson said that March is a month full of expectation. For some, that expectation comes in the form of four-leaf clovers and pots of gold. For others, the expectation lies in the infinite possibilities of Pi Day (apple pie, chocolate pie, cherry pie, pecan pie, moon pie). Poet William Cullen Bryant reminds readers that March is also a month that comes with “wind and storm and changing skies.” Of course, that can really be any 24-hour period of weather for those of us here in Virginia Beach, right? More practically, March also springs us forward into Daylight Savings time on March 13th and we’re officially sprung into Spring on March 20th.

These moments are just a sprinkling of the myriad of diverse and expectant moments March may hold for you personally, but no matter which of these March moments you most look forward to, it is also a fabulous time to grow social awareness, one of the five core competencies stemming from Social and Emotional Learning. Using the VBCPS SEL Framework, our strategic framework, Compass to 2025, and Graduate Profile as our guiding documents, let’s jump into that journey together.

In this issue:

• Three Key Messages About SEL

• How to Help the Skills of Social Awareness Take Root in Students of all Ages

• Elena Aguilar’s Approach for Building The Emotional Intelligence of a Team

• Plaza Middle Leverages Collaboration to Build DNA Models

• Professional Learning Opportunities

• Action for Happiness February Well-Being Calendar

This year, our Joy Newsletter will share resources that support the goals of our Compass to 2025 Strategic Framework.

In VBCPS, we have three core beliefs, or key messages about SEL:

• Key Message #1: Social-emotional learning helps people develop the essential skills they need to succeed in school and life.

• Key Message #2: Social-emotional learning is focused on creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students.

• Key Message #3: Social-emotional learning is about the well-being of young people and adults.

Each of these messages is further supported in the VBCPS SEL Message Maps. We will continue to highlight these key messages in each edition of the Joy Newsletter by providing strategies and showcasing work around the division that aligns with one of the five key SEL competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making, which are outlined in the VBCPS SEL Framework. In addition to the resources shared in this newsletter, school staff, central support teams, and PLCs interested in learning more about integrating SEL into their work can find professional learning support within the VBCPS SEL Learning Action Guide.

The SEL competency focus for March is Social-Awareness. VBCPS defines this as, “Identifying and understanding others’ thoughts, emotions, and strengths; respecting their rights; and appreciating diversity.” The aligned skills for this competency are:

• Recognize and respect human dignity, including culture and differences

• Understand others’ perspectives

• Practice empathy, gratitude, and compassion

• Build awareness of national and world issues and events and their impacts

This month, we're encouraging you to carry out small acts of kindness. This has been another difficult year of uncertainty and ups and downs for many of us. Kindness is contagious, and helping others has been proven to make us feel better too! Let's try to focus on being generous with our time and attention rather than money - it's free and better for everyone, as well as our planet!

Click here to learn more and download the calendar.

For more information, contact the Office of Professional Growth and Innovation of Virginia Beach City Public Schools at pgi@vbschools.com or 757.263.6972.