Social Skills classes are part of the FOCUS program, but not necessarily required to receive FOCUS support.  FOCUS is a program that provides flexible support both within the general and special educational environments to students with specific social, emotional, and behavioral needs.  We assist students with social skills, self-regulation, self-awareness, positive peer interactions, providing a safe space to allow for sensory needs/ processing and additional processing time as needed.  We help students build their “superhero toolbelt” of tips, tricks, tools, and strategies to help reach and maintain emotional and self-regulation when they are feeling stressed, anxious, frustrated, or otherwise not at their personal best.  We all have tough days sometimes, so are also available if a student needs additional support in crisis prevention, intervention, or management.

We have check-in and check-outs with students, provide social skills instruction (including modeling and teaching replacement behaviors), help with monitoring and prompting, provide feedback to the student, and work with each student’s IEP team to help meet their individualized educational needs and goals.

FOCUS is not a disciplinary unit, nor are we limited to specific disabilities.  

FOCUS works on teaching social and self-advocacy skills, communicating more effectively with others, considering the perspective of others, and strategies to help with stress, anxiety, and frustration.  We generally have a word of the week or weekly theme.  Topics can be added and rearranged based on changing and evolving areas of need.  Again, this list is not all inclusive. 

■   Conflict Resolution ■   Cooperation/teamwork ■  Trust (incl. credible sources)  

■   Coping strategies/tools ■   Self advocacy ■  Control/frustration (size of problem)

■   Perspective/tolerance ■   Critical thinking ■  Problem Solving

■   Accommodate/understand ■   Personal accountability ■  Goal setting 

■  Non-Verbal communication ■  Observation/social cues ■  Respect/kindness

■  Power of words ■  Emotional intelligence

Study Skills (future course)