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Center Moriches: Creating a Culture of Care
LIASCD Presentation - Full Description
At Center Moriches, we have leaned on an amazing resource and framework that not only meets the legal requirements but also prioritizes what our students need. The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, or CASEL, defines SEL as 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. In December of 2020, nine months into the pandemic and following a study from 2019, CASEL updated its definition and framework to reflect ongoing learning from SEL research, practice, and policy.
In updating SEL, four key points emerged:
1. An explicit commitment to equity and excellence that emphasizes identity, agency, belonging, and recognizes the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
2. Highlighting spaces and places where SEL can be promoted, contributing to a culture of care within our school community.
3. A need to infuse SEL into curriculum and instruction, as well as in out-of-school time, discipline, and student support services.
4. Reflecting the role of ongoing assessment for continuous improvement.
The CASEL 5 framework can be taught and applied at various developmental stages, from childhood to adulthood, and across diverse cultural contexts. Many school districts, states, and even countries have utilized the CASEL 5 to establish preschool to high school learning standards and competencies that articulate what students should know and be able to do for academic success, school and civic engagement, health and wellness, and fulfilling careers. In Center Moriches, we apply this framework to evaluate our SEL practices and create an inventory of SEL in our individual classrooms, grade levels, and departments—district-wide and in the larger CM community. As a District, we will continuously reflect on these practices and build upon our initiatives, such as the parent book club, to strengthen student voice and enhance these competencies in our SEL Continuum.
