Engaging Teachers, Staff, and Parents in Social and Emotional Learning in Palm Beach County: One of Six Case Studies of Schools and Out-of-School-Time Program Partners

This case study is one of a series detailing how schools and out-of-school-time (OST) programs in six communities have collaborated to build students' social and emotional skills. The communities are participants in Wallace's Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative, which has brought together school districts and their OST partners to develop and implement mutually reinforcing social and emotional learning (SEL) activities and instruction across learning settings.??The piece features Diamond View Elementary School in Palm Beach County, Fla., and its OST partner, Diamond View Afterschool. The two collaborated to promote consistent and positive student experiences with adults across the day. After strengthening the use of similar SEL practices in the school and OST setting, the effort engaged noninstructional staff members as well as families in SEL—an important step intended to enable students to experience positive interactions outside the classroom: in the cafeteria, on the bus, and at home.The case study describes how the school and afterschool program overcame challenges such as finding time for coordination across school and OST staff members. It also explains how the two actively involved students in guiding SEL activities—seeking out students' input and providing opportunities for student choice in SEL activities and rituals