Social Emotional Learning

SEL Day at Lake Parsippany Elementary School

Today's Students, Tomorrow's Leaders! Like most elementary schools, Lake Parsippany School had a full line-up of activities and book readings for their students throughout the day on March 8th, 2024, SEL Day. High school students came down from Parsippany Hills High School to conduct read alouds to elementary students at each grade level. Some examples of activities and stories include: Kindergarteners making breathing cups to explore how to regulate breathing when upset, and later high school students read "Big Feelings" to them. First graders made popsicle stick friends with googly eyes and feathers, and then high schoolers read "I Am (Not) Scared," to students, followed by a Worry Worm Activity. Second graders making emoji plates, third graders making breathing beads and bracelets, fourth graders canvas painting, and fifth graders making a vision board. Many activities followed throughout the day, like "conversation starters" between high schoolers and elementary students, a buddy-up "cup of kindness" activity, and even Pure Barre Class for teachers during lunch!

SEL Day at with Mrs. Yan at BMS

Hands of Control

Hands are used to hold on to something. Hands are used to let go of something.

Think about yourself, family, friends, teachers, coaches, etc.

What are some characteristics that you like about yourself and them that bring positivity, smiles, and success?

(HOLDING ON TO)

What are some characteristics that you do not like and you do not wish to have? (LETTING GO)

SEL Day with Ms. Joyce at Littleton Elementary School

Students watched an inspiring TedTalk (The Mindset of a Champion) learned how Carson struggled in school, and how shifting his mindset helped him succeed. Students then learned about positive thoughts and affirmations, read through a list of examples, then created their own list that were meaningful to them.

SEL Day at Mt. Tabor with 4th Graders

What Fills Our Pot of Gold? Five "I AM" statements in the rainbow and 5 things in their life that make them happy and "fills their pot of gold".

SEL at Eastlake

SEL at R. Meadow

SEL Day at Littleton

SEL Day at CMS

Welcome to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District Social and Emotional Learning website. In the 2017-2018 school year, the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District adopted new strategic goals for our school district. Goal #2 states: All students will receive social and emotional support to become adaptable, confident citizens who embody self-awareness and strong interpersonal skills, capable of responsible decision-making and managing their emotions and behaviors.

This vision was later followed by an increased awareness, discussion, and in depth look at trends like social equality, emotional intelligence, growth mindset, and grit. Research shows that academic and social emotional learning are interconnected, and essential to achieving and maintaining the district's high academic standards. Research also indicates that in order to improve the academic lives of students, we need to teach all members of our community about the five CASEL competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.

In the 2018-2019 school year, a small group of elementary teachers enthusiastically piloted the Sanford Harmony model for social emotional learning. In 2019-2020, this pilot was expanded to all K-5 classrooms in our ten elementary schools. A newly established Director of Health/PE (Mindfulness) position further reinforces the district's focus on student and staff wellness, self-advocacy, and social/emotional growth.

Our website is intended to provide information and resources connected to this Strategic Planning goal for all community members. We will also showcase Parsippany's progress toward achieving this goal, the programs we explore and adopt, as well as the outcomes.

Blog Posts

Raising Confident Kids - March 1, 2020

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

~ Dale Carnegie

Sounds easy to our adult minds, doesn’t it? But, how do we instill confidence in our children? That’s the real challenge. Confidence is a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities. Confident people don’t always have successful outcomes, but they produce successful efforts. (click here to continue reading...)

Beginning The School Year With SEL

The layout of a classroom as well as the routines that begin on the first day of school can help start the year with a focus on social and emotional learning. Whether preparing for morning meetings, daily organizational tasks, or charging Chromebooks, students will experience more success in the long term by establishing these SEL concepts for classroom-care and self-care.

When Secondary Students Understand SEL Skills

Self-awareness and self-regulation are two important traits for putting SEL skills to work for yourself or your students. Understanding how the brain works, knowing your own personal needs and abilities, and having the tools to apply can help most individuals tap into higher potential, and experience more success.

We know that before students can effectively learn, several conditions must be met. For example, they must have food. A hungry student isn’t going to be able to absorb instruction, no matter how skilled the teacher is. Neither can students learn if their social and emotional needs are not met. Click here to continue reading...

What is Social Emotional Learning?

The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (better known as CASEL) describes Social Emotional Learning as the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. CASEL is the leading authority on SEL, and through research, practice, and policy, they are changing the way we think about education, focusing on the whole child.

Social and Emotional Learning involves teaching skills that students and adults need in order to be more successful at home, at school, in the workplace, and in life. When people have social and emotional skills, they are self and socially aware, and have the ability to manage themselves both independently and while interacting with others. They can listen to perspectives of others, use positive communication, be aware of cultural issues and differences, set and achieve goals, and take personal responsibility for their learning.

Dr. Maurice Elias, Professor of Psychology and Director of Social Emotional and Character Development Learning lab, summarizes the importance of SEL in the video to the left. He also supports and partners with the NJ Department of Education, which embraces the CASEL competencies, and offers additional resources on their website.

When SEL becomes a way of life at both school and home, our students and community will experience a more positive climate, higher success on academic levels, and be more prepared to handle a variety of situations using essential life skills. Scroll down to see what Parsippany schools are doing to infuse more Social Emotional Learning into our curriculum.

Why Social Emotional Learning?

Research shows that students exposed to SEL do better academically, have better attitudes and better behaviors. Children who understand SEL skills enjoy positive friendships and are less likely to be bullied. Students who come from a strong SEL education are twice as likely to earn a college degree and attain a full-time job by age 25.

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