School Goal One
To improve mental health and well-being through social emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed practice.
How do we establish and nurture a school culture of mental wellness that include students, staff, and families?
Increased need for counseling support schoolwide. Evidence that Tier 1 programs implemented schoolwide make a significant difference in well-being.
This goal and driving inquiry aligns to both our Mental Health and Wellness and Indigenous Learner Success district strategic goals and First Peoples Principles of Learning.
First Peoples Principles of Learning
The Mental Health and Well-Being Goal needs to ensure that:
- Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
- Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
- Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
Over the course of the year, the following will be our direct areas of focus:
- Evidence based classroom programs, partnered with an overarching set of themes that are the focus of schoolwide assemblies and activities;
- Placing staff wellness as a crucial element in the mental health and wellness of the school community;
- Creating opportunities to celebrate, gather, and work together as a school community for specific purpose, or for joy (e.g. Cram the Cruiser, Family Read-In, Terry Fox Run, full school recesses); and
- All staff learn and apply strategies and provide feedback about student learning with regard to the application of practical calming or coping strategies.
Over the 2023-24 year, we will track progress on our initiatives identified in this year’s plan.
Summary learning, based on evidence gathered over the year, will provide us with key learnings to guide next steps for the 2024-25 school year and beyond. More specifically:
- From Adrienne Gear’s work, we will move away from the KWL (know-want to know-what I learned) to “Knew/New” - what you previously knew versus a new understanding.
