Bringing It All Together

How St. Peter’s Social Emotional Learning Program is Unique

St. Peter’s social-emotional learning (SEL) program will bridge the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) process and the Virtues in Practice (VIP) program and create a common language and shared set of practices and strategies to support a positive classroom and school climate.

Grounded in Science

St. Peter’s social emotional learning program is unique because it is grounded in the science of nervous system physiology (function), or nervous system balance. It is a body & brain based program that incorporates evidence-based skills for students to be able to “shift gears.” When the body’s nervous system is overstimulated or understimulated, overwhelmed or underwhelmed, the brain is focused on basic survival needs and is not able to focus on academics, responsibilities, or conscious decision-making. When the nervous system is in a state of calm-alertness, the brain can shift into learning mode, meet expectations, and make wise choices.

Supported by Scripture

Short SEL lessons are taught in each classroom twice a week to equip students with the skills they need to not only settle their body and access the learning and memory centers of their brain, but also to live out their Catholic identity. The SEL program highlights key scripture verses that support and enhance the CASEL five skill sets from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Additionally, the Virtue of the Month is explicitly brought into the lessons in a way that students can understand and embody.

Focused on Resilience

In addition to the five core SEL skills, St. Peter’s program will teach resilience-building skills. Resilience-building focuses on the whole person: body, brain, mind, heart, gut, spirit, soul, thoughts, and emotions. There are five interrelated benevolent qualities that bolster resilience: kindness, generosity, gratitude, empathy, and compassion, and seven key abilities: believing in your strengths, recognizing your needs, self-soothing, asking for an accepting help, shifting perspective to they positive, recognizing our common humanity, finding humor & laughter.

At the end of each lesson, students have the opportunity to reflect on what they’ve learned, create a plan for taking care of their nervous system, mind, and emotions, and discuss ways they can apply these skills on their own at school, at home, and in the community.

Body & brain-based resilience-building practices grounded in science provide students with a variety of skills to achieve and experience a calm, alert, and balanced nervous system. The resilience-building practices also increase the students’ ability to recognize their own emotions, strengths, and needs, as well as those of others to support a positive school and community climate. With a balanced nervous system and a state of calm-alertness students are able to access and recall the academic skills, SEL strategies, and Catholic identity virtues they learn and put them into practice.