We strive to ensure that all of our practices are based on two key practices: trauma-sensitivity and positive teacher language. At Winter HIll, we call our integrated approach to social-emotional learning the “Wildcat Way.” The key components of the “Wildcat Way” are:

• Teachers use Responsive Classroom as the foundational program to build their classroom communities. Since 2014, teachers have been using Morning Meeting to start the day off positively and the First Six Weeks of School to teach expectations and build a positive classroom culture. In 2019, teachers implemented Closing Circle in an effort to close out the day positively. Other classroom practices include using a break space to calm down and logical consequences when students do not meet expectations. One key component of Responsive Classroom is positive teacher language, which is a foundational practice throughout our school.

• Within the Responsive Classroom framework, our teachers and counselors teach the Second Steps curriculum which provides explicit instruction on developing skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, problem solving and friendship skills.

• In the 2019-20 school year, Winter Hill implemented PBIS (Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports) across the school. The initial rollout included the development of school-wide expectations using the acronym R.O.A.R. for be Respectful, take Ownership, be Accepting and be Ready. The team developed expectations for all common areas of the school, which are routinely taught and reinforced in the classroom. These expectations are posted throughout the building and include adaptive versions to support all learners. The four expectations have also become the focus areas for teachers to develop classroom expectations with their classes through Responsive Classroom.

• Specialized therapeutic initiatives also support the social-emotional health of all students, not only those who most directly benefit from these programs. IIn addition to our Redirect Counselor, our Guidance Counselor and our School Adjustment Counselor, we have an embedded counselor from Home for Little Wanderers. Teachers and counselors also implement a variety of mindfulness strategies and routines to support students. Additionally, Bonnie, a service dog for one of our teachers, has become a valued member of the school community, fostering a sense of good will and inclusion. Linus, is also a canine member of the Dog B.O.N.E.S. therapy community, and he comes to Winter Hill to provide a safe space for children on the autism spectrum to read and hone their literacy skills.

• Lastly, there is a cohort of teachers and administrators who completed a four-course series, through Lesley University, on creating trauma-sensitive schools. As we refine and develop the “Wildcat Way,” this team provides input into these practices to ensure that all that we do is trauma-sensitive by fostering secure attachments between students and adults, teaching self-regulation and developing student competencies.