Project SEEKS SES member school districts, university partners, and community partners gathered at Cornell School District on November 18 to share updates and discuss the future of the project.
The SEEKS initiative continues to facilitate and fund important work in the field of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and the meeting provided an opportunity for project partners to discuss common interests and goals for the community.
Two active partners from the University of Pittsburgh, Shannon Wanless (director of the Office of Child Development) and Tom Ralston (assistant professor and director of the Forum for Western Pennsylvania School Superintendents), shared examples of how they are incorporating SEL into the college classroom. They both understand the importance of meeting the social-emotional needs of the adults who are caring for and educating youth.
From providing cultural experiences to promoting mental and physical wellness to offering seminars on relevant topics, Wanless and Ralston provide tools to train and inspire future educators and leaders.
- Learn about how Wanless used picture books to reinforce SEL topics.
- Find out how Ralston offered a forest bathing workshop as a wellness activity for staff.
Emily Born from the Allegheny Office of Behavioral Health attended the meeting with a team of school-based liaisons and represented the community branch of SEEKS. Their important work connects school districts and mental health providers to improve systems and provide support to students in need. Born emphasized the need for the county to continue to fund these services.
Lastly, Aaron Thomas, superintendent at Cornell School District, spoke on behalf of the school districts funded by SEEKS. He gave many examples of how his district has benefited from the grant, most notably with the creation of two wellness rooms. The rooms serve as mental health hubs to help students regulate emotions and behaviors and minimize crisis situations in the classroom.
The meeting concluded with a tour of Cornell’s wellness rooms.
The final stakeholders’ event is scheduled for April 2025.