CASEL Competencies
Five core Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. These are combined in advisories.

SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

This is the CASEL framework: 

Core competencies: framework takes a systemic approach that emphasizes the importance of establishing equitable learning environments and coordinating practices across four key settings: classrooms, schools, homes, and communities.

Advisory
Grade 9: Connections
Grade 10: Balance
Grade 11: Life Skills
Grade 12: Transitions

Wellness is….a proactive, holistic approach to practicing and working toward finding balance and a more fulfilling life. 

"...a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
- The World Health Organization

Seven Dimensions of Wellness
There are two models we focus on: Seven Dimensions of Wellness and Dan Siegel (Brain Development) Healthy Mind Platter

Wellness Data
- Started last spring with a few advisories.
- We gathered information about student perceptions of their wellness in addition to asking about self-care habits—planting seeds so that students start to pay attention to key protective factors/habits such as sleep, physical activity.

What we are asking...

1. If the student has a trusted adult at school giving them the support they need—And do they need/want to connect?
2. Are they getting enough sleep/exercise?
3. What are their areas of difficulty? What are you struggling with as a group or as an individual?
4. What are their coping strategies?

We amended our survey after consultation with a mental health professional and researched best practices
We survey approximately every three to four weeks in advisory and these are the general themes—protective factors (How are they coping? Are they using healthy strategies?)

Here's the data:
We are most concerned about these areas based on survey results and what students are telling us in our offices, hallways, via teachers and/or parents.

% of students report they're struggling with:
66.7% Stress
56% Study Habits
54.4% Anxiety
24.2% Friendship
19.4% Body Image

Additional ways we reach out in an effort to be preventative in our practice rather than reactive:
1. Parent workshops: Providing information, and strategies to address topics or areas of concern
2. Advisory: Building skills, making connections
3. Grade-level seminars: Addressing specific topics and providing strategies in large group, small group or 1:1 check-Ins
4. Counseling: Providing 1:1 individual targeted support

How we support students:

• Parent workshops
• Additional resources beginning 22-23
• Educator professional learning
• Wellness check-In survey
• School spirit initiatives & activities
• Student-led initiatives
• Grade-level seminars
• Grade 10 life skills class
• Co-curricular activities
• Stress management workshops and lessons
• Advisory

Updates:

• We will be adding an additional PAC counselor so that we can provide more targeted supports for students. 
• We have and will continue to engage in professional learning for our educators as part of our strategic priorities for the next seven years.
• We are trying to provide multiple opportunities for students to experience these elements to attend to the different dimensions that help well-being.

Building the connection with your child:

• Ask your teen questions: ask open-ended questions, continue to ask follow-up questions so you challenge their thought processes. 
• Do not compare
• Recognize their work, not just their successes
• Be present: Listen
• Validate your teens feelings and experiences
• Model positive examples of self care
• Challenge negative thinking
• Provide support and acceptance

Personal academic counselors: 
Carmine Filice: cfilice@sas.edu.sg
Emily Hopwood:ehopwood@sas.edu.sg
Dr. Jeff Devens: jadevens@sas.edu.sg
Sharon Wright: swright@sas.edu.sg
Shira Fisher: sfisher@sas.edu.sg

Here are some of the strategies that parents shared with each other in breakout rooms:

• Ensure your child gets enough sleep each night
• Relinquish control and let your child fail, and be there to help your child learn from the mistake
• Share study and organizational strategies that worked for you when you were younger
• Don’t force mental health counseling on your child. As much as possible, try to let them identify when they need help or assistance
• Ensure that your child has a trusted adult at school 
• Validate your child’s thoughts and feelings when they are sharing openly
• Encourage co-curricular activities to promote fun and balance 
• Emphasize the learning process rather than the grades
• Ask your child to describe what would help them
• Promote family and 1:1 time to deepen relationships
• Connect with the school counselors to learn more and deepen the partnership
• Emphasize healthy tech use, exercise, peer connections, journaling & spending time in nature with your child
• Join the SAS Parent Support Group for Mental Health as another resource to navigate mental health issues with your child

Upcoming events in high school:
Monday, December 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.: Twelfth grade Parent-Principal Meet and Greet 
Tuesday, December 14 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Eleventh grade Parent-Principal Meet and Greet

Click here to view the slide deck.