The SEL4IA team would like to share our heartfelt condolences to the family of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and to the far too many others who have been targeted by racist systems, policies and actions. Racism is rooted deeply in our communities and schools and continuing to wreak havoc on our students of color. As we continue to talk about SEL, we know the fight for equity is inextricably tied to SEL. Our organization is committed to ensuring SEL isn’t used as a tool to police black and brown bodies or create cultures of compliance. Rather, we are seeking to support systems that empower and uplift our students, putting their greatness on full display. This can’t be done by simply being allies. We must use our voices and privilege to be co-conspirators in the effort to dismantle systems of oppression. The old way of “doing school” is not working for far too many of our students. As we think about the future of education we must reimagine our systems and be intentionally anti-racist. We look forward to collaborating with you on this journey.
The SEL4IA leadership team
Several hundred well-designed studies have documented that well-planned and well-implemented SEL programming can positively affect a broad range of student social, health, behavioral and academic outcomes. This conference is designed to provide quality professional development opportunities for school administrators, teachers, school psychologists, school counselors, social workers, afterschool providers, youth development workers, early childhood professionals, student support specialists, staff who serve on SAP teams, alternative education teachers, homeless liaisons, foster care points of contact and other professionals who work on behalf of children and youth.
Teachers are calling for schools to prioritize integrating SEL learning practices and strategies.
Principals say SEL is essential, but want more guidance, training and support to teach these skills effectively.
On average, for every $1 invested in SEL programming, there is a return of $11.
