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Elementary School Counseling

Social Emotional Learning 

 
At Singapore American School, we believe that student success is not determined solely by a strong academic foundation but also through the intentional building of skills in the social-emotional realm.
 

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for success at school, work, and in life. However, SEL is more than just an isolated program or lesson. It is an integrated approach to learning. SAS has adopted The Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework that identifies five core competencies:

Self-management

Self-awareness

Social-awareness

Relationship Skills

Responsible Decision Making

We believe that when prioritized across settings—schools, classrooms, families,
and the wider community—this powerful learning can educate hearts, inspire minds,
and help students navigate the world more effectively.  

Dean of Student Life

As part of our commitment to the integration of SEL into the everyday learning environment of our students, the elementary school has two Deans of Student Life.

Dr. Sarah Farris

Dylan Meikle

The Dean’s work alongside teachers, instructional assistants, counselors, principals, and parents is to provide opportunities for children to practice their SEL skills in context. As a team of educators, we are focused on how to best create deep connections between these skills, our academic areas and of course our SAS core values of respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness and compassion.

With the help of responsible and caring discipline, our approach conveys a belief that all schools can become physically and emotionally safer. Aligning this belief with the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and discipline offers proactive and reactive strategies for developing positive behavior and successful management of the classroom. The focus on positive discipline allows our students to feel safe, know the expectations, and understand the purpose behind our SAS school rules and core values.

Dean of Student Life Posts

Elementary School Counselors

SAS believes that the social and emotional growth of students is just as important as the academic growth. In order to support, guide, and grow students' social emotional skills, one counselor is dedicated to every grade level in the elementary school. 

Mission Statement

Singapore American School provides a culturally responsive, student-centered, and developmentally appropriate comprehensive school counseling program that supports learners’ academic, personal, and social growth in a safe and nurturing environment. This is accomplished through a partnership with parents/guardians, faculty, students, and community members.

The school counseling program at SAS is based on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) model.  The Elementary School’s foundation to social and emotional learning is  Responsive Classroom. This includes a range of strategies used in all classes, throughout the school day. The Collaborative for Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) competencies provide the framework that guides social and emotional instruction and learning. 

School counselors help all students through accessing learning, applying academic achievement strategies (executive function skills), managing emotions and applying interpersonal skills. 

Elementary Counselors roles and responsibilities include teaching lessons to all classes, conducting short term and targeted individual/group student counseling, collaborating with school stakeholders for student success, and providing individual and family referrals for long term support. Second Step is the core curriculum with units of study on skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, problem solving and child safeguarding. 

Counselors advocate by improving equity and access, achievement and opportunities for all students. They also attend selected academic planning meetings and other student-focused meetings. Counselors provide parent education with a range of workshops held throughout the school year. 

Elementary School Psychologists

In addition to the social and emotional support of grade level counselors and Deans of Student Life, the elementary school has two school psychologists. The National Association of School Psychologists states: School psychologists help students, families, educators, and members of the community understand and resolve both long-term, chronic problems and short-term issues that students may face. They are a highly skilled and ready resource in the effort to ensure that all children and youth thrive in school, at home, and in life.

Bianca Kelly

Lacey Jones

Elementary school psychologists consult with teachers, families, school counselors, and administrators to develop and improve student support systems. Our school psychologists also conduct psychological and academic assessments, facilitate intervention planning, monitor and interpret student data, and assist with crisis preparedness, response, and recovery. They hold Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) in Special and Elementary Education, an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in School Psychology and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) in the United States also Bachelor of Psychology, and Graduate Diploma in Education and is a Registered Psychologist in Australia. Both elementary school psychologists are trained in various behavioral psychology approaches.

Our SAS core values, school rules, approach to discipline, emphasis on the social and emotional well-being, and the explicit instruction of CASEL core competencies for each and every student underpins everything we do in the elementary school. We believe where these intersect we successfully educate hearts, inspire minds, and help students navigate the world more effectively.