
North Carolina SEL Newsletter
Implementing SEL Across Our State
In this issue
Key NC SEL Resources
NC SEL Implementation update to State Board of Education
Winter 2020-2021 Released Resources
NC SEL Implementation Update
SEL and Educational Equity
Important Dates
Key NC SEL Resources
NC SEL Implementation Update to State Board of Education
Listen here for an update on SEL to the State Board of Education. The presentation starts at 2:58 with an introduction from Mr. Reginald Kenan.
Additional Resources: Presentation Slides and Resources
Winter 2020-2021 Released Resources
North Carolina Resources
Creating a Professional Culture Based on SEL Online Course- Creating a Professional Culture Based on SEL online course is now available. Participants of this course will navigate their own learning on an SEL journey as they explore the six elements of building a professional culture based on SEL: adult SEL competencies, cultural responsiveness, examining implicit bias, adult self-care, professional learning support through collaborative relationships and family, and community engagement. Additional resources: Flyer and Overview
NC SEL Webinar Series: Integrating SEL in Content Areas- In October, the Integrating SEL in Content Areas Webinar Series was launched. All webinar recordings are available here: Webinar Series Recordings: Integrating SEL into the Content Areas. These recordings support the use of the NC SEL Standards Mapping Documents. These documents show connections between existing standards in twelve content areas and CASEL's Core SEL Competencies. Each document provides acknowledgments, an introduction, and activities & practices across each CASEL Core SEL Competency, and standards alignment with each CASEL Core SEL Competency.
NC SEL Webpages- The North Carolina Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) pages are now available! On the website, you will find key information on North Carolina’s implementation, including a definition of SEL, the CASEL Core Competencies, the impact of SEL, our state’s vision and goals for implementing SEL, alignment with the State Board of Education Strategic Plan, equity and SEL Connections, and the NC SEL Implementation Plan. Additional pages include communication, equity, resources, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
National Resources:
American Institutes for Research (AIR) SEL Online Learning Module: Creating a Well-Rounded Educational Experience: Introduction to Social and Emotional Learning, a free online course from AIR, was designed as an introduction to social and emotional learning (SEL) for educators who endeavor to create a well-rounded educational experience. This introductory course is designed for all educators—teachers, counselors, principals, support staff, custodians, cafeteria staff, and afterschool providers—to ensure that the whole school community is engaged in the adoption and implementation of sustainable SEL practices.
CASEL SEL Roadmap- CASEL is releasing a new brief, Refocus on the SEL Roadmap: Actions for a Successful Second Semester, repackaged strategies that were adapted from the SEL Roadmap. The brief is available here: https://casel.org/reopening-with-sel/
Center for Mental Health in Schools & Student/Learning Supports at UCLA- Time for Straight Talk about Mental Health Services and Mental Health in Schools. To join the Center at UCLA, send an email to Ltaylor@ucla.edu.
Center for Mental Health in Schools & Student/Learning Supports at UCLA- Schools Responding to the Violence at the US Capitol: A Time to Help, A Time to Model, and a Time to Teach. To join the Center at UCLA, send an email to Ltaylor@ucla.edu.
NC SEL Implementation Update
North Carolina joins CASEL’s Collaborating States Initiative
North Carolina joined CASEL's Collaborating States Initiative and formed the North Carolina SEL Implementation Team. This team is a cross-agency (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) and cross-division, including eleven divisions. As part of CASEL's Collaborating District Initiative, Guilford County Schools has also joined our state team. Our state team used CASEL's State Education Agency Theory of Action to create a state implementation plan. The plan is organized in four focus areas, including Building Foundational Support and Plan, Strengthen Adult SEL Competencies and Capacity, Promote SEL for Students, and Use Data for Continuous Improvement.
A special thank you to 450 students and 76 adults across North Carolina who collaborated on the creation of the vision statement and goals for
Social and Emotional Learning in North Carolina Public Schools.
Vision for Social and Emotional Learning for North Carolina Public Schools
North Carolina PK-12 public schools are safe, productive, restorative and enjoyable learning communities where each student, staff, and family member experiences mutual respect and a sense of belonging. In partnership with families and communities, our schools provide equitable academic, social, emotional, and behavioral learning through positive relationships and modeling by compassionate adults. Immersed in a supportive system, our staff value their own social and emotional learning as a form of self-care, care for colleagues, and care for students. The same supportive system produces resilient students who graduate empowered to solve problems, communicate effectively, empathize with others, and pursue goals for further education, employment, and contribution to their communities.
Goals for Social and Emotional Learning in North Carolina Public Schools
Build and/or align state and local infrastructure to support social and emotional learning (SEL)
Identify and promote statewide use of best practices for adult and student social and emotional learning (SEL)
Track, assess, and share advancements in social and emotional learning (SEL) across the state
NC SEL & Equity Project Update:
Forty-two LEAs, charters, regionally based laboratory schools, and non-traditional schools are collaborating through the project to scale up systemic SEL by defining/redefining their core social and emotional learning (SEL) plan. Two key resources for this project are the Core SEL Practices online course and the Insights: SEL as a Lever for Equity and Excellence report.
Upcoming Winter and Spring Key Activities
Enhance student voice and SEL partnerships
Launch NC SEL Landscape Map
Launch phase two of NC SEL Website including free currently available SEL resources for students
Additional NC SEL Implementation highlights are available here: NC SEL Implementation Flyer.
SEL and Educational Equity
From CASEL’s SEL as a Lever for Equity Website
CASEL Report on “Emerging Insights on Advancing SEL as a Lever for Equity and Excellence” (2020). Read more.
The Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) Framework, a collective of diverse educators. Access the BELE Framework Resources.
Curated resources in response to COVID-19: Actions for Equity
Owning Your Power to Raise Kids That Challenge Racism with Dr. Bloodine Barthelus and Dr. Debbie Rivas-Drake. Webinar
The Urgency of Educational Equity Now with John B. King, Jr. and Karen Pittman. Webinar
Leading for Equity in Challenging Times with the National Equity Project. Webinar
Building a Culture of Equity Through SEL with Robert J. Jagers, Taryn Ishida, Roberto Rivera, Dena Simmons, and Meena Srinivasan. Conference Plenary Video
SEL Research Library: Category – Equity
Important Dates
Increase understanding mental health awareness and related concepts such as mental health literacy and stigma.
Increase knowledge of local examples in the Southeast region of taking action to promote mental health awareness among students and school staff.
Promote cross-state networking and shared learning about best practices, successes, and challenges of addressing mental health awareness.
Register here Southeast MHTTC
March 15- Friday Institute’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for Educators free, online course registration closes. Course Objectives include: To provide educators with a foundational knowledge of SEL through the lens of the CASEL framework; To build an understanding that SEL competencies are skills to be taught, not traits to be inherited; To guide educators in building a repository of resources, activities, and skills to bring back to their classroom, school, and learning community; To foster an understanding of the importance of educators' own SEL skills to developing the capacity to support students' SEL skills; To provide educators with strategies to model and cultivate SEL competencies in interactions with peers, students, and families to help build SEL culture in their school; and to leave participating educators with an understanding of the importance of SEL competencies to the growth and development of justice-oriented, global citizens. Register here: Friday Institute SEL for Educators
Resilience & Learning Opportunities- presentations and discussions on trauma-informed education topics and ways we can build resilience for our students and our staff in these continued challenging times. Registration link. (Register to join live or to receive the recording after the session.) Information on topics are in the flyer. Upcoming webinar dates:
- January 27, 3-4pm
- February 24, 3-4pm
- March 31, 3-4pm
- April 28, 3-4pm