Kelli created a course called “Designing Your Future”, which is a branch off of an independent study and economics course. She teaches growth mindset, positive psychology, helps kids with college applications, discusses tutoring and grades and does mock job interviews. She would like to expand the course to make it more personalized, including some kind of point system based on students’ future plans. She met with other squads working on similar projects in mid-June and has been working collaboratively with Jenn Vedder from Bayside HS as they continue to develop their projects.

Description of combined courses

Combined Courses- Oceanography/English 11

Milo is a former special education teacher, turned gifted resource teacher, focused specifically on social emotional behavior. She has training in cognitive behavior therapy and has created a warm and welcoming environment in her classroom and has established rapport, not only with her own students, but other students who are not in her class. She feels strongly about the need for a social-emotional learning elective for 3 reasons: 1. Her own students would experience less stigma if her course was considered optional instead of a mandated intervention 2. Students transitioning from alternative settings might have an easier transition back to school if they could be temporarily placed in her class until they feel comfortable and 3. All students could benefit from SEL, perhaps self-selecting or with a referral from a teacher or counselor.

Milo is eager to continue this project and thinks it will be needed more than ever, with kids returning to school experiencing various levels of anxiety and trauma. We discussed the possibility of her hosting some virtual meetings where she could invite the entire student body to participate in some simple mindfulness activities she uses with her classes to gauge interest and solicit some early feedback for what her course might entail. She has a basic curriculum and has presented about the idea outside of her school. The main problem is the allocations allotted to the school- she carries a full course load and supervises several inclusion classes, which would prevent her from adding this class to her schedule. She is working to investigate the best way to navigate this issue so the project can continue.