School Social Work Central

One of the primary responsibilities for School Social Workers is the facilitation of building-wide Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Tier 1 support for all students Young 5s through 5th Grade

What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

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

What is the Second Step program?

The K-5 Second Step Program is a classroom-based social-emotional learning program with lessons and reinforcement activities designed to increase children's school success and decrease problem behaviors. It teaches skills that strengthen children's ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions, and solve problems.

The program achieves its goal by promoting social-emotional skills and self-regulation, or self control. Research shows that children with good social-emotional and self-control skills have a better change of achieving school and life success.

School Social Workers also provide small group & individual social emotional support

Data-driven Tier 2 short-term targeted intervention & Tier 3 more individualized intervention to address specific needs

Lory's Place Peer Support Groups

Lory's Place offers regularly scheduled sessions at Coloma Elementary and Coloma Intermediate. Each session brings children together who are grieving after the death of a family member or friend. These sessions are open not only to children who attend sessions at Lory's Place, but also to children who cannot come to Lory's Place because of transportation problems, work or schedule conflicts. School group sessions are facilitated by professional bereavement staff members and trained volunteers, along with our school social workers. These peer group sessions are a safe, comfortable place for your child to share feelings, do grief-healing activities and receive the empathy, advice and hope needed for the grief journey.

SEL Resources

SEL Games, Websites & Apps

Peekapak

Social Emotional Learning game, grades K-5 (free 30-day trial)

Mindful Powers for Kids

SEL game/app, grades K-11

Mind Yeti

Fifteen mindfulness program sessions are now available free for anyone to use, no experience necessary! Designed explicitly for educators and families to do alongside younger children, or for older children to do on their own, Mind Yeti provides a great way for everyone to practice mindfulness during this difficult time.

- Mind Yeti on Vimeo: English, Spanish
- Mind Yeti on YouTube: English, Spanish
- Mind Yeti Podcast: RSS Feed, Spotify, Stitcher

Little Children, Big Challenges

Committee for Children and Sesame Street have partnered to create a collection of resources for young children facing significant challenges. These materials, aimed at building children’s resilience, may be useful for educators and families.

Captain Compassion

Here, children can find games, comics, and activities they can do on their own, or with their families, to learn about how they can help stop bullying.

The Imagine Neighborhood

Podcast for kids and families to practices SEL skills

Headspace

Mindfulness/Meditation app (free trial offered)

Calm

Mindfulness app (free trial offered)

GoZen

Mindfulness Meditations for Kids

SEL "Roll & Discuss" Activity - Grab some dice, roll & answer SEL-related questions!

Roll and Discuss - Empathy & Respect

Roll and Discuss - Emotion Management

Roll and Discuss - Problem Solving