If you wanted to write a book, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better title than “Social Emotional Learning in Blue Valley.” But that is the name of this presentation, featuring Brad Moser, Director of Blended Learning, and Dr. Kelly Wessel, Director of Professional Learning, both from Blue Valley School District #229.
According to Dr. Wessel, “I think it is vital to any school district that the leadership has to come from the top, the bottom, all across the board. And the best way to do that is to make it a priority in your strategic plan. It’s what your board adopts and votes on. It's what you can communicate to your stakeholders, especially your community. And it's really how you get buy-in from your students and your staff. For us, we have just undergone, recently, the next iteration of our strategic plan. So from 2020 to 2025, there are two key points. The first being that we will ensure engaging, meaningful and extraordinary educational opportunities for all students. And that really includes responding to matters of social, emotional health with learning experiences that empower students to lead balanced, confident lives. The other one is that we will foster cultures of balanced health and wellbeing. And this isn't just for our students. This has to be for our families, and it has to be for our staff as well. We are a community and we build our culture. And so, the things that we do and the things that we prioritize impact every single person in that ecosystem. It's important that social, emotional learning doesn't just stay within the walls of the classroom. It needs to be embedded in any meeting that you do with your leaders. There needs to be community events that your parents and families can join so that they can learn more about what is happening, and they can partner with you.”
Blue Valley School District lives and breathes this philosophy, and it shows in everything they do. Having a healthy, balanced student body and school community makes sense for today, and it is the best way to ensure a healthy, thriving academic side as well. Find out how Blue Valley balances out the equation, so only their name is blue. You’ll find much to love, and much that you can bring home to your own school or district.
