SEL at North Marion Primary School

By Jillian Daley

Calming corners in classrooms are an important fixture at the Primary School, as the building is avidly invested in the School District's Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program.

Students at the Primary School, icluding grade levels K-2, can take a breather in these calming corners or a break in the Reset Room, a place for students to collect and sort their feelings that is similar to the Zen Den at the Intermediate School. 

The staff implements a curriculum called Second Step to ensure that SEL tools are set in motion and that they work in the kids’ favor. Teachers also tap into Kelso’s Choice, a tool that develops conflict resolution skills in children.

“At the Primary School we believe that SEL teaches students important life skills, such as identifying and solving problems, recognizing and understanding emotions, and collaborating with others,” Primary School Principal Allison Hunt says. “We use a number of different materials and strategies throughout the school. Right now, students are learning about Kelso's Choice, so they can utilize it both in and out of the classroom setting. Teachers use Second Step in their classrooms to teach social-emotional skills like self-awareness and responsible decision making. In our Reset Room, we have seen significant growth in students who are working on self-management and emotional regulation skills.”

Hunt says that creating a soothing space is an extension of the trauma-informed practice that the whole School District is using. Each room or area usually appeals to at least three of the five senses, featuring dim lighting to soothe teary eyes, calming music to ease anxious ears, and Legos and kinetic sand to offer something to distract nervous hands. 

“Calming Corners reinforce self-regulation strategies for students who struggle with emotional awareness and control,” Hunt says. “They are designed to be a calm and safe place where students can focus on themselves in order to regain the emotional stamina to manage the demands of school.”

In a sense, it’s like a treehouse, a place where time slows down in a hectic world.

“The focus of Reset is to offer students additional opportunities to develop sensory and emotional regulation skills in a secure, predictable environment,” Hunt says. “It is a quiet, controlled environment where students can practice and learn skills that assist them in getting their needs met while developing a safe relationship with a trusted adult who is able to gently guide them through the learning process. This allows students to return to class at baseline and fully participate in learning.”

Primary School Counselor Patti Reeves says that SEL is part of a high-quality education for all students, and it positively influences how students contribute to their school environment, home, and communities.

“Now, more than ever, we understand how important it is to demonstrate empathy, resilience, and build relationships,” Reeves says. “Understanding our emotions and how to respond to them in respectful ways is just one of the guiding principles behind social-emotional learning. Our teachers are able to make academic lessons more personal and relatable to students which improves engagement and their connection to the school. Through our SEL programs, students are able to strengthen their identity,  independence, and confidence both in themselves and relationships with others.”

In other words, with so much support from educators in every school, North Marion students at the Primary School and throughout campus will be able to thrive now and in the future, pursuing their dreams with hope and gusto!

How is SEL being practiced throughout the whole School District? How is your child's school, specifically, practicing SEL? Find out:

• SEL at North Marion High School
• SEL at North Marion Middle School
• SEL at North Marion Intermediate School
• SEL at North Marion Primary School

To share a story about the North Marion School District, email Communications Specialist Jillian Daley at jillian.daley@nmarion.k12.or.us.