Social Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

BHISD believes in the importance of character development and social emotional learning to ensure a focus on the whole child. We will focus on the social emotional skills that have been proven to help us grow productive, empathic, and successful people.

Throughout the year, we will focus on specific character traits such as kindness, responsibility, courage, integrity, gratitude, empathy, respect, citizenship, trustworthiness and school pride. Connections to these character traits will be made consistently school-wide. In addition, we have adopted curriculum to integrate these various character traits.

In Pre-K - 5, we will be using PurposeFull People. In grades 6 - 12, we will implement Character Strong. You will be receiving more information on this curriculum in the near future.

Research demonstrates that integrating social and emotional learning across the learning process produces better academic performance, improved attitudes and behavior, less negative behaviors and reduced emotional stress. In addition, an SEL focus enhances school culture and self-management which improves school safety.

Staff	Campus
Chloe Yowell Assoc Supt of Curriculum & Instruction	LSC
Lori May Director of Safe Schools	LSC
Mandy Malone Director of Student Services	LSC
Heron Thomas DAEP Principal	DAEP
Ami Davis Coordinator of Bus Services	LSC/Transportation
Jami Navarre Director of Community Relations	LSC
Terra Barclay Coordinator of SPED Curriculum & Instruction	LSC
Lesley Gershmel Social Worker	HS/ISN
Pam McDonald Social Worker	MSN/MSS/ISS
Miki White Counselor	HS
Nikki Juarez Counselor	MSN
Nikki Hollingsworth Counselor	MSN/MSS
Lori Meador Counselor	MSS
Kellie Rogers Counselor	ISN
Kim Bell Counselor	ISS
Sarah Stone Assistant Principal	ISS
Jenny Clement Art Teacher	ISS
Kara Johnson Counselor	ESN
Haley Thompson Counselor	ESN/ISN
Carla Vaughn Counselor	ESS
Whitney Shaw Counselor	ESS/ISS
Jody Cone Counselor	ECC

At Barbers Hill ISD, we believe that it is an entire community's responsibility to help students grow into kind and compassionate adults. We also know how challenging this can be in the current climate of social media and other distractions. In a time when testing and academics feel like the most important aspect of educations, we can lose focus on investing in the whole child and the habits and traits that make them successful in all areas of life.

We are happy to announce that our district believes in the importance of character development and social emotional learning to ensure a focus on the whole child! We have adopted the CharacterStrong curriculum built around these "Eight Essential" character traits  and the social-emotional skills that have been proven to help us be productive, empathetic, successful people. We all will be working together to build a kinder school culture and, ultimately, a kinder world.

The Eight Essentials

Patience
Kindness
Humility
Respect
Selflessness
Forgiveness
Honesty
Commitment

The Social Emotional Skills

Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness
Responsible Decision-Making
Relationship Skills

Character in Action = CharacterDares

Each week, students will be given a new challenge that helps them to practice one of the eight character traits in their daily lives. The following week they are given an opportunity to reflect on their experience, either with trying the Dare or by sharing what they think or believe about that week's CharacterDare.

CharacterDare Example: See the Good

Carefully observe those with whom your interact, and identify something positive you can acknowledge. Give a genuine and thoughtful compliment based on your observations.

Sometimes, we can catch ourselves noticing the negatives around us without taking a pause to see the good, too. After taking the time to see good in someone else, take the time to share with that person what you noticed and the impact they have on others and yourself.

Curriculum

During their Advisory class, students and staff will work together through lessons that equip them with ways to understand, practice, or reflect on one of the eight essentials and their own character. Every lesson is written by educators with all students' abilities, backgrounds, and needs in mind.

It Takes a Village: StaffDares

Students are not the only ones challenged to live more intentionally! Every adult on campus will also be provided opportunities to put into practice the Eight Essentials with a weekly Staff CharacterDare. We know that students will watch what we do more than they will listen to what we say and leading by example is the best way to change school culture.

Tools for Families

We encourage you to engage your students in conversations about their CharacterStrong experience.

• Ask for the CharacterDare of the week and see how many you can take on as a family.
• Share things you are grateful for and reflect on your own learning regarding these ideas.
• Tell stories about moments of growth you have had as an adult or when you were their age and faced with situations that connect to the week's CharacterDare.

We are excited that our district is taking on the important work of character development and social-emotional learning. We believe in the power of this work and we have no doubt that, with this common goal in mind, that we are creating a more caring, compassionate, capable world. We look forward to hearing all the amazing ways your student is growing.

 

We are grateful for your involvement in our school and community! Children today are faced with many opportunities and challenges as they enter a fast-changing world and we want to do everything we can to encourage and empower their success. It is fun to think about all the ways they will make the world better in the future and all the things they get to navigate now. Every day, they are meeting new people, learning new words, solving problems, making friends, and being a part of a community.

Research would tell us that it is not grades or IQ scores that make us most successful, but instead the ability to "fail forward" - to develop resilience and persevere even when things get tough. The data would tell us that happiness in life comes more from our ability to understand and manage our emotions than from our test scores or income. All the stories and stats suggest that the pathway to a joyful life comes from what we give and not what we take.

So, how do we help young people become more resilient, generous, and emotionally intelligent?

We are excited to share that we will be using a program called PurposeFull People this year. It is all about helping schools weave simple, powerful, relatable content into everything happening at school and beyond! It includes a huge library of practical resources and activities to help effectively teach a wide variety of traits that we know help make students more successful in their academics and in their lives outside of school.

Over the course of the year, you'll be invited to join in the fun! We will provide letters home related to each trait. Each letter has some great conversation starters, books to read, activities to pursue, and some challenges ("PurposeFull Pursuits!") that we encourage you to look at and try out with your family.

At school, our teachers will be role modeling this work by doing their own challenges! There will be games on the playground that help reinforce the messages. In the classroom, our educators will be integrating everything from 30-second strategies longer activities designed to teach skills like Courage, Kindness, Empathy, and Responsibility. To teach young people to connect with one another more thoughtfully and skillfully. To work together to solve the small and big problems of the world.

To do life, on Purpose.

We know that it takes a village and we are grateful to be a part of this community.