More than 300 youngsters reported to their first day of school at Chadds Ford Elementary on Monday. Principal Danielle Clark said there are about 330 students at the school this year, and the focus will be to address the entire student in a “fun and exciting” way, adding that “the focus is on being kind.”
“We’re looking into bringing PBIS — positive behavior intervention support — to the school,” Clark said.
She explained that’s a “focused concentration on teaching direct instruction for filing safe, respectful, responsible behaviors at school infused with fun and activities. We’re also embracing the district’s vision of kindness matters.”
Regarding the curricular level, Clark said they’re bringing in something called “Everyday Speech,” a social and emotional learning component. She said that’s a resource for the teachers and is based on the Casel 5 competencies for social and emotional learning.
Clark said they are “about being a good friend, how to make good decisions, how to organize long-term projects and a variety of other topics.
(Casel stands for Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Go here for information on Casel’s five points of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.)
Clark was asked if that meant the focus was more socially oriented than academic, she said “When you treat the whole child and help them develop social and emotional skills, it helps making learning the academics even stronger.”
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
