Social Emotional Learning
Youth Art Month Flag by student Rebecca Wu
Click or tap the image below to see the video, or follow this link: A message of gratitude for Social Emotional Learning advocates from Superintendent Chris Reykdal
 Follow this link to see the Washington State SEL Standards and Benchmarks.
OSPI SEL Team
Debra Parker, Diane Stead, Emme Williamson, Tammy Bolen, and Ben Everett
(From left to right)
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"It is impossible to get to academics if a student's social and emotional needs are not met. SEL skills help us traverse the challenges of life and make possible many of the successes. Relationship building, communication, collaboration, problem solving, goal setting, and emotional regulation are just a few of the critical skills of social emotional learning. SEL is for all students. The research is clear that when students are taught social emotional learning, it increases academic success and wellbeing. This impact lasts far beyond the K–12 system." – Tammy Bolen, SEL Program Supervisor
"SEL skills help individuals develop better relationships with family and friends, pursue further education, and build skills needed in the workforce. By centralizing the happiness and well-being of students, social emotional learning offers an approach to education that values their independence, culture, diversity, and gives students from all backgrounds the opportunity to create positive habits, allowing them to grow into healthy and fulfilled adults. SEL skills are developmentally proven to strengthen brain development and support pathways to vigorous learning." – Debra Parker, SEL Project Supervisor
(left) Country of Hope by A. Huang, Skyline High School
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"Social Emotional Learning and the skills that students gain from it is critical to building a world based on inclusion, respect, and empathy. As students engage with SEL, either integrated into instruction in core content areas or as stand-alone lessons, they are building self-awareness, self-management skills, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making skills, all of which are necessary in later stages of life, such as entering the workforce or pursuing higher education. These are skills that I use every day in every aspect of my life, and I am proud to support students and teachers in their SEL journeys." – Ben Everett, SEL Program Specialist
"So many of the jobs I’ve held have required me to demonstrate SEL principles. Skills like social awareness and social engagement allow us to learn from one another, empathize, and contribute to the various communities we are a part of. SEL can truly benefit folks of all ages. I’m so excited that SEL is being actively practiced in school. As an adult, I benefit from practicing these skills too!" – Emme Williamson, Administrative Assistant, Student Engagement and Support
(right) We Need to Do Better by Niko Shawn Renee Looper, Central Valley High School
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"Everyone benefits when young people can communicate effectively, set and respect personal boundaries, engage with others to improve the culture of their classrooms, schools, and communities, and find authentic and personal connections with peers, adults, and their academic instruction." – Laurie (SEPP)
(left) Summer Days by Yuki Kondo, Olympia High School
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"My favorite classes and teachers always engaged in social emotional learning. SEL helps us relate to one another, what it means to be a human in progress, and find potential for personal growth and curiosity about others. The places where I felt best known and understood was when the teacher structured it purposefully to always question, 'What does this have to do with me? What does this have to do with us?' represented in a meaningful way. Happy SEL Day!" – Anonymous
(right) Human in the Tree Root by S. Son, Henry M. Jackson High School
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"The relationships and self-regulating skills that kids have since the onset of the SEL program is really amazing!" – 4th grade teacher
"I wish everyone in my building was on board with SEL and saw the value it has for our students, families, and community."– High School Paraeducator
"An individual's social emotional skills, such as kindness, self-awareness, and empathy, have a greater positive impact on the world than any attainment of academic knowledge or skill." – OSPI staff member
(left) Star Balloons by Audrey Stenger, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics
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"At North Hill Elementary School in the Highline School District, SEL is a fundamental part [of] learning for all students. Led by the school’s Tier 1 team, staff study trauma-informed and restorative practices and share the belief that for students to learn they need to feel safe and that they belong. […] All classrooms have a designated calm down area in which students can use the mood meter, sensory/visual tools, and other calming strategies when they need to. […]These lessons focus on four main units- growth mindset and goal setting, emotion management, empathy and kindness, and problem-solving." – Highline School District, SEL Curriculum Grant Recipient
(above) Trust by Rafael Vargas
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"With support from the OSPI SEL Curriculum Grant, Seattle Public Schools has provided digital Second Step licenses to 14 elementary schools. This is in addition to the 14 schools that were awarded licenses the previous year. Currently, Seattle can provide digital Second Step licenses to more than a third of its 75 elementary schools. Our goal is to roll out licenses district-wide by the end of 2024. This grant funding has launched our SEL instructional capacity forward significantly. This curriculum funding allowed us to free up funds to offer staff training and instructional support. This will provide a systemic approach to SEL instruction at the elementary level." – Seattle Public Schools, SEL Curriculum Grant Recipient
(above) Raining Ink by M. Powers, Richland High School
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"In Renton, Social and Emotional Learning practices are jointly owned throughout the district. For example, our Kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers and our 3rd–5th grade teachers developed SEL Signature Practices, those things they believe all students should have access to that can be supported district-wide. These include such things as ‘Calm Corners’ in every classroom; feelings check-ins; and breathing routines. Over 400 classified staff members participated in SEL Professional Development over the last few years and our bus drivers are now finalizing their SEL Signature practices. Our counseling department intentionally supports the teaching of SEL skills and SEL lessons are weaved into our advisories in our secondary schools. Our staff was invited to nominate SEL champions last year, and we received over 100 nominations. SEL is highlighted in our strategic plan as a district, and schools write an SEL goal in their school improvement plans. We will continue to work on ways to better meet the social and emotional needs of our students, and we are grateful that our community partners with us in this effort." – Vickie Blakeney, Renton School District
(above) Who Am I? by Michael Soike
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Exploring the Roles of Belonging and SEL in Creating Inclusive Learning Environments for Students with Disabilities
April 26, 2023, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. PST
Zoom Registration Link
This April, the SEL Professional Learning Network invites you to the third Peer-to-Peer Virtual Exchange! During this session, local education agency (LEA) teams will work together to identify strategies for creating inclusive learning environments for students with disabilities. After exploring the ten dimensions of belonging together, LEA teams will discuss how building social emotional competencies and embedding social emotional learning (SEL) practices can support each dimension. Then, LEA teams will collaboratively brainstorm strategies for how they can better support the dimensions of belonging and improve inclusivity for students with disabilities. Subject matter experts will be present to help guide discussions and support LEA teams in creating an action plan that focuses on strengthening an identified dimension of belonging for students with disabilities.
For this session, we ask that you bring a team of at least 2–3 people. Consider including staff members from different departments that support students with disabilities and who create inclusive learning environments (i.e., SEL leads, special education teachers and case managers, school climate and MTSS teams, instructional coaches, and administrators).
For any questions, please contact Debra Parker debra.parker@k12.wa.us.
Learn & Plan With PBS
Join Washington’s PBS affiliate stations for their third “Learn & Plan With PBS” virtual educator workshop: Using Podcasts to Enhance Student Learning and to Support Social-Emotional Learning.
Podcasts are a fun way to engage youth in instructional content while also giving them multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning and express their creativity. In this workshop, you’ll learn about different genres and styles of podcasts and will explore a collection of PBS podcasts focused on a variety of content areas:
You’ll have the opportunity to observe how the Spokane affiliate station, KSPS PBS, used podcasts to engage youth in a summer camp program, helping them develop technical skills along with key social-emotional skills such as collaboration, self-management, and making responsible decisions. The content of the workshop is appropriate for grades K–12. One clock hour is available for participation.
Learn & Plan with PBS (pdenroller.org)
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