Social-Emotional Learning

Four students embrace each other in hugs.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of Wiseburn Unified School District's educational program, aimed at helping elementary and middle school students develop the skills necessary to manage their emotions, build positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Teachers and staff create a positive, friendly, and empowering school climate with social-emotional supports so that all students feel cared for, respected, and encouraged.

By developing these skills, students not only improve their academic performance but also enhance their mental health and well-being. The district's commitment to SEL and mental health ensures that all students feel supported and have the necessary tools to succeed academically and in life.

A student jumps playfully with his hands in the air.

Wiseburn Spirit

Wiseburn USD is committed to students' well-being. School climate and culture play a significant role in shaping the educational experience for all students. A positive school climate creates a safe and supportive learning environment, where students feel valued, respected, and engaged.

Our Wiseburn spirit leads to better academic performance, increased attendance, and improved social and emotional well-being.

A student smiles while sitting in class.

Positive Behavior Support

Positive Behavior Supports, or PBS, is a proactive approach that schools use to establish a supportive and safe learning environment for students, emphasizing the use of positive reinforcement to encourage student behaviors. In Wiseburn schools, PBS teaches social skills, promotes student success, and encourages a growth mindset.

Two students and a parent work together on a project.

The Friendship Club

Elementary and middle school students are welcomed to join The Friendship Club at their respective school sites where applicable. The Friendship Club is a safe space for students to connect with peers who share similar interests, spend time with people from different backgrounds, and discover what it means to be a friend.

The Friendship Club fosters a sense of belonging and helps students develop important social skills such as communication, teamwork, and empathy, leading to meaningful connections and improved social and emotional well-being.

To learn more about The Friendship Club, reach out to your student's school site and read our featured story here.

[Wiseburn schools] really want to encourage good behavior. They want to tell kids, "You should do this, because doing that will lead to X, Y and Z," instead of just looking out for where kids may be breaking the rules and punishing that. Stacey Parker, Wiseburn Parent

SEL Supports for Students

PBIS

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based three-tiered framework for improving and integrating all of the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes every day. It is a way to support everyone – especially students with disabilities – to create the kinds of schools where all students are successful.

Wiseburn Middle School's use of PBIS is a commitment to addressing student behavior through systems change. When it’s implemented well, students achieve improved social and academic outcomes, schools experience reduced exclusionary discipline practices, and school personnel feel more effective. To learn more about PBIS and the three tiers of support offered at Wiseburn Middle School, click here.

Olweus

The Olweus Program (pronounced Ol-VAY-us) is a comprehensive approach that includes schoolwide, classroom, individual, and community components. The program is focused on long-term change that creates a safe and positive school climate. The program’s goals are to reduce and prevent bullying problems among school children and to improve peer relations at school. The program has been found to reduce bullying among children, improve the social climate of classrooms, and reduce related antisocial behaviors.

Second Step

Featured Story

In two photos side-by-side, students sit with each other at a table during a peer mentoring program.

From Big Buddies to Peer Mentors: How Wiseburn Schools Encourage Meaningful Friendships

Discover how Wiseburn teachers and staff are promoting mental health and inclusivity by encouraging meaningful friendships through programs like peer mentoring and Friendship Clubs.

A student smiles while sitting at a desk.

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