Nancy Newkirk, Board President; Benjamin Picard, Superintendent; Michael Gallagher, Deputy Superintendent; Tasha Dean, Assistant Superintendent; Rachel Bacosa, SEL Coach; Diana Johnson, Social Worker
Sunnyvale SD’s Social-Emotional Learning Program is designed to position children for success. The program, piloted 10 years ago, grew in structure and depth and is today a board-endorsed district imperative. SEL is now in use throughout the district, modeled by teachers and taught using acclaimed, evidence-based instructional practices. The district has a concrete strategy to deepen integration in future years. SEL is part of every SSD school day. Those who still struggle with managing emotions and behaviors get whatever special interventions they need (aligned with a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support), including individual counseling at one of three school-based family resource centers. Research shows students receiving effective SEL instruction reach higher levels of academic achievement, and are more likely to graduate from high school and college and to be employed in adulthood. They are also less likely to engage in harmful behaviors, which means safer, more productive classrooms for all students.