SEL
Leading for Solutions
Leadership Team
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Professional Learning Communities: Sets improvement that reviews not just program
A Leadership Team is composed of the goals and plans interventions to ensure outcomes but school-wide measures and
principal or assistant principal, school greater student success. Teachers have academic connections is a regular part of
curriculum coach, one or more teachers, opportunities to use their classroom the process.
and the school guidance counselor or social data to mutually review progress, share
worker. Some schools might elect to also intervention strategies, and hone skills. Continued success
include a parent representative. Ongoing professional development is vital
The team meets monthly to review and Leading for Solutions in action in achieving long-term success. Success
analyze school data on disciplinary referrals, The Leadership Team at Maple Lane for All provides both initial and ongoing
attendance, and other outcomes beyond Elementary School adopted the Leading training, both for the Leading for Solutions
achievement, as well as implementation for Solutions SEL curriculum last year. Leadership Team and the sub-committees.
data from SEL and key curriculum Their data review showed that students It is ongoing work, and the use of a rigorous
programming. The team uses a continuous struggled with teamwork, supporting and continuous improvement model turns a
improvement model that links academic encouraging each other, resolving confl icts, strong classroom curriculum into a powerful
targets and data to key intervention data on and with self-control. The school wanted to vehicle to transform school culture.
social and emotional learning, attendance, create a more nurturing climate that would Social and emotional learning can give
and behavior. The team also monitors the support the emotional development of all students the skills to succeed in school and
Solutions Network sub-committees. their students. become confi dent and secure learners. In
time, these skills can transfer to success in
The program was infused throughout the entire school. Bus
the workplace. In order for these skills to
really be mastered, the school must ensure
drivers, cafeteria workers, offi ce staff, and playground
that SEL skills are knitted into the school
monitors all received abbreviated SEL training and were
community. Without this transformation,
asked to support key aspects
students may have some knowledge of
key SEL skills, but their ability to apply and
internalize them to change and transform
Solutions Network sub-committees Having chosen the program, the their own lives is reduced. Creating a living
The Leadership Team creates sub-committees Leadership Team fi rst used their data- and consistent school culture is the key.
to align and address key areas of school driven continuous improvement model to
functioning. Each sub-committee meets at set academic and SEL goals for the year About the author
least once a month to develop and implement and determine quarterly data points, and Barbara Haxby Brady has worked in
its activities. Every quarter there is a large the sub-committees designed and aligned comprehensive school reform for the past 20
Solutions Network meeting in which school interventions. The principal highlighted the years. She is Vice President of Professional
SEL goals and academic targets are reviewed, weekly SEL goals over the intercom during Development for the Success for All
sub-committee intervention outcomes are a morning message, and all parts of the Foundation. She participated in training and
assessed, and new interventions are aligned school community were involved in ensuring development for the Center for Data-Driven
to the academic and SEL goals and targets of that the program was infused throughout Reform at Johns Hopkins University. In
the school. the entire school. Bus drivers, cafeteria addition, she directs the development of the
Commonly, a Solutions Network is a set of workers, offi ce staff, and playground Family Support and Leading for Solutions
sub-committees focusing on: monitors all received abbreviated SEL programs for Success for All.
●
Attendance: Oversees a structured training and were asked to support key
process of daily monitoring, daily aspects of the program. The sub-committees
intervention, and extensive prevention began to implement their strategies. For
Further reading
efforts. example, the Early Intervention team Positive Impact of Social Emotional
●
Community Culture and Social Emotional was alerted to work with students who Learning for Kindergarten through 8th
Learning: Ensures SEL procedures and had particular problems with self control, Grade Students, Technical Report (2008).
practices are infused throughout the school teachers received suggestions from the CASEL.
day and school community. Also oversees team on strategies for these students, and
Kam CM, Greenberg MT, & Walls CT (2003),
data on behavior and creates prevention their parents were given ways to support
Examining the Role of Implementation
programming for areas of concern. them at home. The Community Connections
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Quality in School Based Prevention using
Early Intervention: Reviews students sub-committee worked with local
the PATHS Curriculum. Prevention Science,
who are not making adequate progress businesses to provide Caring Classroom
4, 55–63.
or have behavioral problems. Specifi c celebrations for students who were using
interventions are developed with the their SEL skills effectively to help encourage Elias MJ, Gara MA, Schuyler TF, Brandon-
teacher and parent. and support one another. Muller LR, & Sayette MA (1991), The
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Parent Involvement: Coordinates outreach At the end of each quarter, the Solutions Promotion of Social Competence:
and workshops designed to invite parents Network meets to review progress. They Longitudinal Study of a Preventive School
to be engaged in the school community share data and observations, discuss their Based Program. American Journal of
and partners in their children’s learning. interventions, review what appears to be Orthopsychiatry, 61, 409–417.
●
Community Connections: Works to ensure successful, and work together to develop
Slavin RE, & Madden NA (2009), 2 Million
that community volunteers and business better targets and interventions for the next
Children: Success for All. Thousand Oaks:
partners are engaged and aligned with quarter. Improvement is celebrated and next
Ca. Corwin.
school goals. steps identifi ed. A process of continuous
winter 2010 Better: Evidence-based Education 17
Better(US)Win10 pp16-17 Solutions.indd 17 23/2/10 17:05:50
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