SEL and School Culture

 

Monte Vista has focused intensely on creating a culture that supports social emotional development with book studies of Love and Logic, Hacking Discipline, Choice Words, and implementing Acting Right and Restorative Justice practices. In addition, Monte Vista teachers use a number of instructional and behavioral management social emotional learning practices that help students have voice, choice, and experience emotional and intellectual safety in the classroom. We have our daily schoolwide morning community meetings on the bottom playground, which include singing, dancing, chanting, pep talks, student/parent/staff/community speakers, and more. In addition, all of our classrooms engage in morning meetings and/or community and solution-finding circles.

 

Alongside a focus on rigorous core instruction and positive classroom culture, Monte Vista implements a catalogue of community-partner and staff-facilitated after school enrichment clubs, addressing students’ interests. Clubs include theatre, art, chess, disc golf, soccer, character building, young authors (led by a published author), STEAM, gardening, foreign language, technology, and more.

 

We also have partnered with Parenting Partner Workshop series, The Mindful Life Project, and Focus Five (Acting Right-Drama inspired classroom management strategies). We also will be partnering with Restorative Justice Partners for the 2020-2021 school year! 

 

We have many different rewards, awards, and recognitions for students making strong academic and social emotional choices on our school site including Positive Office Referrals, Blue Jay Bucks, Trimester Awards, and more! 

 

We also have used and fully developed over the years our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for classroom and campus-wide incentives and behavioral norms and expectations as well as more intensive and personalized structures and strategies for students who demonstrate more behavioral and management needs and supports. 

 

Students at times may also be referred to a Student Success Team (SST) if they have social emotional needs that require a bigger, more robust team of stakeholders (parents, teacher, school counselor, other classified and certificated staff members, etc.) in order to meet and establish a plan of action that is then monitored on a regular basis for progress and reflection. Many students receive the necessary supports effectively enough through this process that they no longer need this team over time due to growth and improvement.

 

**We also have a very solid, equitable, and accommodating disciplinary management flowchart for minor and major behaviors that entail different levels of reflection, instruction, and sanctions of reciprocity that involve multiple stakeholders to support and improve students' choices, help other students feel safe, and help restore relationships within and across the classroom and on the playground.

 

All of the above pieces as well as other programs listed on this website (Academics, Interventions, Special Education, etc.) help make a strong and increasingly progressive palette for MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) on our school site.