From the Chair: A Strong SEL Foundation

Welcome to school year 2021–22! With 2020-21 being one for the record books, it is my sincere hope that this year brings less stress for all of us. I’m sure we have all started our year with excitement and anxiety. The pandemic has changed education dramatically and altered our job in countless ways. Unfortunately, we are not through the tunnel yet. While there may not be many positives that came from the pandemic, one of them has been an increased attention and emphasis on the importance of social/emotional learning in our schools.

The Missouri Comprehensive School Counseling Program (MSCSP) has three major components and social/emotional learning (SEL) is one of them. SEL is the foundation of everything we do. SEL is our area of expertise, and we should take a leading role in its implementation in our schools. This increased emphasis on SEL is an excellent opportunity to educate your administrator(s) and leadership team about the MCSCP and the importance of delivering lessons as a proactive strategy in establishing a positive school climate. It is time to advocate for the importance of your position and how your role can enhance and complement the important work our teachers are doing.

According to CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning), the impact of SEL programs is well researched and has a significant impact on academic outcomes. Students’ academic performance increases 11 percentile points when SEL programs are in place. The goal of SEL is to promote students’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships and responsible decision-making skills, and improve attitudes and beliefs about self, others, and school. When a solid SEL foundation is in place, schools are going to see students have more positive outcomes in academic performance, social behavior, peer relationships and attendance, and fewer conduct problems, less stress, higher test scores and improved grades. With this knowledge in our hands, why wouldn’t we want to ensure that our students are receiving regular SEL instruction?

SEL should not be viewed as just one more thing on our plate. SEL is the plate upon which everything else rests. And SEL should not fall solely on the shoulders of school counselors. The education school counselors provide in SEL is invaluable, but it cannot be the only SEL education that our students receive. Impactful SEL is embedded into the building culture and climate and is actively present in all areas of our schools. SEL education is a team effort requiring support and implementation from all staff. The school counselor should be in the lead on this effort because of our expertise. If you do not have a school-wide SEL program, don’t worry! Start small. Develop a team, identify priorities, and lay out a timeline. You’ve got this!

Best of luck to you as we jump into another school year! MSCA appreciates each of you and acknowledges the insurmountable odds that you’ve faced in the last 18 months. We are here to support you. You are not alone.

Contact Tosha Todd, chair, MSCA Board of Directors, at ttodd@bssd.net.