The current COVID-19 Pandemic has not been kind to our school community, especially our students and
families. Of the many lessons learned, we as educators have seen the need of having a school wide strategic
plan to address the isolation, anxiety, grief, loss and decline in socialization that has affected our school
community. Our students need to be taught how to recognize, manage and balance their emotional upheaval
with the safety and guidance through our collaboration and compassionate lens as educators. As we navigate
these uncertain times together, the concept of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) has made us see the
importance of teaching these skills even more critical. SEL is a process to understand and manage emotions,
set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive
relationships and make responsible decisions. As Aristotle once said, “Educating the mind without educating
the heart is no education at all.”