Strategies to Promote a Safe, Nurturing and Inclusive School Environment in High School

High School can be a tough time for many of our students. Not only are they becoming self aware, they are beginning to understand the complexities that come with peer interactions. Some of those include popularity, labeling, social standards, bullying and much more. As students are navigating this sometimes tough road its extremely important to create an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. 

School-wide program practices for students and faculty: P.R.I.D.E. 

Perseverance - stay positive to overcome obstacles and learn from mistakes

Respect - show appreciation, consideration, and acceptance of yourself and others

Integrity - adherence to code of behavior

Discipline - strive for consistency to achieve goals and exceed expectations

Excellence - do your personal best and inspire excellence in others

• The counselors provide a comprehensive school guidance program supporting students and families in a positive, proactive, and holistic approach in a variety of ways, including:

1. Monitoring academic achievement
2. Meeting the needs of student’s personal growth
3. Assisting with special needs
4. Facilitating communication with teachers
5. Development and implementation of interventions
6. Planning for post-secondary education
7. Providing referrals to community services

Ideas to Improve

• We should always strive to provide a supportive environment where all students feel and believe they are respected and empowered to reach their full expectations, which can be measured by holding students accountable.
• Teachers collaborate with Administration and Counselors to implement disciplinary actions with students in a progressive manner.  We also celebrate students’ successes often and with intention.
• Our continued communication and collaboration can be expanded to meetings at school with parents/guardians, thank you notes given directly to student, and communication home to give positive feedback.

Why is it Important?

• “Every student, every classroom, every day” is not just a mantra, but a way to build  relationships with students to inspire academic achievement and promote personal growth that will carry on to lifelong learning. 
• All Students need guidance in personal choices, as high school is the final transition into young adulthood and independence. 
• All Students need a school climate that helps them define who they are and where they fit in the world.

How to Promote Resiliency and Mitigate Risk

• Administration, counselors and teachers provide a leadership role and personal touch of hope and optimism. 
• We are proactive in enhancing students’ strengths and intervening with high risk behaviors to reduce the risk of harmful consequences.  
• Students can count on us to respond and intervene when they fall. 
• We can make students feel part of a family with humor, respect, and appreciation.
• We believe in second chances.

Promoting an Inclusive, Nurturing and Safe Learning Environment in High School

Time spent at school, teaches students more than just U.S. History and how to diagram a sentence. Of course kids learn academics but they are also learning a variety of social skills and getting a taste of independence. It is in the high school setting that we are able to give students more control over the classes they take, the extra curricular activities and athletics in which they participate, and sometimes the ability to drive themselves to and from school. This freedom and responsibility bestowed on our students is successful and possible due to a positive school climate. School climate is the fusion of all aspects of the school, including school values, norms, rules, communication, and the building itself that together makes the “quality and character of a school”.  It is the way the school functions on a daily basis and the quality of life and interaction between students, staff and parents.

What Can We Do To Improve School Climate? 

• Provide open and welcoming counseling center with a variety of support options for students
• Provide a variety of academic support opportunities
• Promote a positive, safe and friendly atmosphere
• Conduct a variety of school spirit days/weeks, friendly class competition 
• Promote school spirit at athletic events and extra curricular activities
• Encourage student and staff participation in all activities
• Display student artwork throughout the building
• Provide guidance lessons in the classroom
• Promote student recognition and reward
• Recognize academic clubs as often as athletic teams

Mitigating Risk and Promoting Resilience

Regardless of the situation that we are presented with, we want to maintain a positive, safe and nurturing environment for students, staff and parents to be a part of. In an effort to do so we can:

• Always provide a neutral space
• Conduct needs assessments
• Provide valuable resources to students, staff and parents
• Provide individual and group counseling, mediation and skills training
• Strive for parent partnership
• School wide communication and collaboration on all levels
• Give students, staff and parents recognition for their work
• Provide outside referrals when necessary
• Encourage student involvement and creativity

Image Resources:

http://pendermakin.com/2015/03/08/the-maine-event-a-national-conference-on-positive-school-climate-and-culture-register-early/ 

http://www.nysphsaa.org/EducationalPrograms/Sportsmanship.aspx 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2789298/bullied-student-fights-spreading-heartwarming-post-notes-school-gets-pulled-littering.html 

http://bvsd.org/counseling/Pages/default.aspx 

Guidance Lesson: Teaching Social Filters in Elementary School

Overview: 

The Social Filter guidance lesson is utilized to teach children when to share words and when to keep thoughts to ourselves.  A social filter is a barrier everyone uses to decide when to share verbal ideas, comments or questions or when to keep them inside. We have different levels to our social filter; we may say something to one person, when we don’t say it to someone else. This is a great tool to help children learn what things are appropriate to say, and what things could hurt other people’s feelings. It’s also a great way to address what things you could tell a school counselor that you might not want to tell anyone else.

Materials: 

• Coffee Filters (enough for every student)
• Glitter or Confetti
• Water in a large jug
• Plastic or Paper cups
• Coffee Filters with different scenarios drawn on them or glued on 

Lesson:

1. Begin by asking the children if they know what a social filter is, introduce the topic, and then state that that’s what you’re going to talk about that day.
2. Pass out plastic/paper cups to each student.
1. place a coffee filter inside each cup
3. Pour the water (mixed with glitter) through each coffee filter, into the cups.
4. Explain how the water passed through the filter (words you should share) while the glitter stayed inside the coffee filter (thoughts you should keep to yourself)
5. Show the students how the coffee filter is like a social filter, a barrier to what words should be said and what thoughts should be kept to ourselves
6. Draw circles on the whiteboard placing the individual in the middle circle, safe adults (doctors, school counselors, etc.) in the second circle, friends and family in the third circle and everyone in the last circle.
7. Present the students with different everyday scenarios written or pictured on coffee filters.

1. “John comes to school wearing dirty clothes”
2. “Yay! It is snowing outside”
3. “Sally has weird glasses”
8. Ask the students when they would share these scenarios with other people.  Do they stay to ourselves?  Do we share them with our friends and family?  Our school counselor or other safe adult? Have each student/group place their scenario on the board within the appropriate social realm (self, safe adults, family/friends, or everyone).
9. Explain to the students that some thoughts should be kept to ourselves.  These thoughts should not be shared because we don’t want to hurt another individual’s feelings.  Other thoughts can be shared with close friends or family and some thoughts can be shared with everyone.  
10. Give each student a coffee filter with with the words “social filter” written on them to take home.  This gives the student a visual representation of the guidance lesson to take home and share with their family.
11. Ask the class, for data, how many of the students could explain what a social filter was to their friends and family. Have a few students volunteer to explain what it is to the classmates who didn’t raise their hands.

Tips: 

• Challenge the students to come up with experiences where their social filters weren’t implemented
• Challenge students to come up with scenarios in the future that they could use their social filters
• Make sure to fill up the jug of water and mix in the glitter prior to the start of the lesson
• Do a cup with a coffee filter yourself to demonstrate how it works and to add your own insight and “be one” with the students
• If a student happens to spill their glitter/water, make it into part of the lesson, and say that we sometimes make mistakes, but that it’s okay if we “clean up our messes”, and that school counselors are here to help them do that.

Guidance Lesson: Choosing Friends Wisely in Elementary School

Topic: Choosing Friends Wisely

Grade Level: 1st and 2nd

Resources: 

• 2 shoe boxes (same size)
• Nice wrapping paper and a bow
• Newspaper and twine
• Small rocks/newspaper
• M&M’s

Rationale and purpose for the lesson: People have so much more depth to them than their physical appearance. Take time to get to know someone. Choose your friends based on their character and how they treat people, not based on their looks, such as how they dress, or what their hair looks like. Looks can be misleading, take time to get to know people by asking questions and spending time with them.

• Presents:
• Have students choose present based on appearance
• Have students ask questions to guess what is inside
• M&M’s:
• Have students pass around the shoe boxes and let them discover that even though something may look a certain way, doesn’t mean there isn’t something special on the inside. 

Introduction

Objective: Show how looks can be deceiving. It is what is on the inside that matters.

Previous Knowledge: Have them think of a time when they thought someone was scary, mean or unfriendly based on how they looked, but once they got to know them they became friends.

Create Anticipation: We brought a couple presents for all of you!! Raise your hand if you want this beautifully wrapped present with the pretty bow on top? Now raise your hand if you want this one wrapped in torn up newspaper and twine? What do you think is inside of each box? 

**Pick a few students to share why they picked the box they did. 

Activity

1. Pick two students to come up and stand next to each of the boxes.
2. Count of 3 have each student open the box up as fast as they can 
3. Ask how many students change their mind from the fancy box, to the torn up box
4. Have two new volunteers come up 
5. Have each student close their eyes and pick out an M&M and try to guess which color they picked
6. Pass around M&M’s for class to eat while you wrap up the discussion

Meeting objectives: Class will see that choosing the prettiest present (or friend) does not necessarily mean it is the best or the sweetest. The student guessing the color will show how once you taste the candy (get to know a person) the outside color (physical appearance) doesn’t matter. Each student eating the mixture of candy will realize that looks can be deceiving, because some have peanut butter filling while others have chocolate.

Engagement: Food, games, volunteering, and asking questions should keep students engaged throughout the lesson.

Bloom’s Taxonomy: We will be using question and answer, the shoe box activity, and volunteer opportunities to engage the students in higher level of thinking. After, we will discuss ways the students can use techniques of making new, valuable friends in their everyday lives, in or out of school. 

**Detailed examples are explained throughout the lesson**

Assessment/Evaluation 

Summary: Although the box was wrapped nicely it wasn’t nice on the inside, but the newspaper wrapped box was sweet on the inside even though the outside wasn’t pretty. Discuss how this relates to choosing friends. We have to get to know people by asking questions. The color on the outside of the M&M or the wrapping or someone’s physical appearance doesn’t matter. It’s what is on the inside of the candy, package and person that matters.

Assessment: Have them shout questions they can ask to get to know someone beyond what they look like. Write on the board.

Closing and Follow up 

Independent practice:  Have them pick one or a few of the questions from the board and find someone new on the playground or at lunch. 

Guidance Lesson: Recognizing and Maintaining Healthy Friendships in Middle School

Topic: Recognizing and Maintaining Healthy Friendships

Grade Level: 7th & 8th grade

Rationale and clear purpose for the unit or lesson:

The characteristics of one’s friends influence so many aspects of who one becomes. A student’s friends often predict what that student gets involved with, how he or she thinks of himself or herself, and who else a student spends time and energy with. Middle school is a pivotal time for students in both their development of friendships and their susceptibility to the pitfalls of peer pressure and other negative consequences related to the pursuit of identity. For these reasons, the guidance lesson will cause students to consider aspects of a healthy friendship and then learn to identify those characteristics or their lack in real life scenarios they may face.

Applicable standard(s), objective(s), competency(ies):  

Students will develop a knowledge of the factors and characteristics involved in friendship that is strengthening and beneficial. They will be able to identify those characteristics in situations they may come across in both middle school and high school. This will develop leadership and beliefs in the students which align with the ASCA National Model.

Materials:

• popsicle stick
• colored glue
• glue
• cupcakes
• white board
• dry erase pens 

Introduction:

Overview: Students will identify characteristics of a healthy friendship and learn to recognize both healthy and unhealthy friendship in action.


Activate previous knowledge: Begin by asking the students for words which come to mind when think what it means to be a good friend and writing those words on the board. Ask the following questions: Why is it important to have healthy friendships? What are the benefits to good friends? What are the consequences of bad friends? What’s the difference between a friend and an acquaintance?

Developmental Learning Activities designed to meet the objective(s):

We are bringing cupcakes in to class and will pass them out at this time, saying “You probably haven’t had cupcakes in class like this since elementary school. Let’s go back to kindergarten for a moment: how did you make friends then?” We will then talk about how the students go about forming friendships at their current middle school level.

After we have talked about what it means to be a good friend, each student will receive three popsicle stick paddles with green, yellow, or red circles on them. Read friendship scenarios concerning a variety of topics. Students will have some time to think and then be asked to hold up the traffic light they think represents friendship status in that situation. There will be four of each “light” scenario. A green light means the friendship is healthy, a yellow light means one should be wary, and a red light means the friendship is unhealthy. Process each and talk about how each responses may be accurate. These activities represent the objective of the lesson because they are taking the real life characteristics we just talked about and applying them to actual situations they may come across.

The activity will keep the students engaged because the different components affect them in different ways. The stop lights give them something physical to hold in their hands, but they will also be considering questions that will require thought and consideration of their own friendships. 

Assessment/Evaluation:

End the lesson by restating what we occurred. Recap the discussion about friendship in early elementary school and then friendship at their current level. Ask “What will you look for in friendships at the high school level? What about beyond even high school?” By considering the future, assess whether the students have learned the objectives and will make positive choices regarding friends looking forward. And, of course, we will have cupcakes.

Closing & Follow-Up:

As a closing activity, invite students to scroll through their picture albums on their phones (at a later time). Ask them to look at the pictures with each of their friends and to think in the red, yellow, or green light mentality. How does each of those friends make the student feel? How is each of those friends affecting the student’s time, motivation, values, and identity?

_________________________________________________________________________________

Appendix A: Example Scenerios

Green

You have a huge Spanish exam coming up this week and are stressing out about doing well on it. You have been confused with the material and are worried about passing the class. During lunch, your friends realize that something is on your mind and ask you what’s bothering you. When you tell them you are worried about doing well on the Spanish test later this week and they all listen attentively. After you are done sharing, they offer to form a study group to help quiz each other on the Spanish vocabulary and grammar that will be on the exam. 

During the summer before 8th grade you went to a theatre camp and ended up loving it! This fall, you want to try out for the school play. You are worried that your friends will stop hanging out with you because you are choosing new activities. When you tell them that you want to try out for the play, they are excited and supportive of your new interests. 

Yellow

Your best friend has started eating lunch with someone different. Whenever you ask to join, they say yes but are cold and do not include you in their conversations. When you and your best friend hand out after school, she is friendly and acts normal. 

You confide in your friend Sarah that you have a crush on the new boy in class but want to keep it a secret. Sarah ends up telling your mutual friend Brittany about your new crush who eventually tells him that you like him. During lunch, he comes up to you and asks you if the rumor is true. You are immediately embarrassed so you say no and run up to Sarah. She says she didn’t mean to tell your other friends and apologizes for spreading your secret.  

Red

In your friend group, you constantly are the subject of jokes and put downs. It makes you feel unhappy and small when they all are talking about you in a demeaning way. When you confront them, they brush it off and tell you not to take it so seriously. However, they do not change their actions and always talk negatively about you when you are all hanging out. 

When you hang out with your friend James he is always talking about himself and what he wants to do. He rarely asks about your day or how your family is getting along. You two always play his favorite video game and watch the TV shows he needs to catch up on. When you suggest something you want to do, he always shoots it down and offers a better suggestion. When you tell him how you feel, he disregards your statement and quickly moves on. 

Strategies to Create a Safe Nurturing School Climate

Students will spend a majority of their life in school, they will learn how to be social with peers, expand their minds, challenge themselves like never before and be independent for the first time from their parents. As school turns into a second home it is extremely important to cherish those minds so they may flourish. Creating a safe school climate allows students to reach higher and ultimately push the boundaries. Not only should this climate be productive for students, teachers, administration and parents need security and nourishment to flourish. A successful school climate looks like an environment where students, administration, teachers and parents can cohesively work and support one another in a safe, nurturing and respectful environment. School climate can be represented by the attitude of staff, physical aesthetics of the building and culture of a building. It is the character of a school including norms, values, morals, relationships, interpersonal relationships, teachings and practices.

Key Elements in Creating a Nourishing School Climate

Students:

• Bullying Prevention
• Clear communication between staff in regards to students
• Calming corners
• Mindfulness
• Support all students’ growth
• Support individuality
• Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies
• Supportive community
• Encouragement 

Parents: 

• Volunteer Opportunities
• School Plays/Music/Performances open to parents
• Parent teacher conferences
• Phone calls home for positive behavior
• Postcard home for positive behavior
• Parent University (classes for parents)
• Clear open communication between parents and faculty

Administration/Teachers/Counselors: 

• Individual Counseling
• Group Counseling (blurting, being kind)
• Guidance Lessons (yoga, mindfulness, brain, Kelso’s choice, empathy) 
• Referrals to community resources
• Supporting life achievements
• Faculty parties
• Professional Development classes
• Intentional seating placements for students
• Collaboration Between BI & Special Education
• Healthy Habits (Mind, Body, Food)
• T24 (Every Student is Capable of Post-Secondary Education)
• Problem Solving Strategies
• After school activities with mentors Campus Kids - ZagDance
• School Closet & Supplies & Food
• Open communication between staff
• Refrain from subgrouping
• Offer support to other faculty
• Be accountable

Faculty Intervention Strategies: 
As leaders in the school building teachers, administration and counselors need to understand students are always watching us. How we handle a crisis will mirror how they handle it. If students are struggling faculty have options and choices in how to proceed. Discipline may not always be the answer, and taking a more positive approach may help the student deescalate quicker and be back in the classroom learning ready. Students and faculty alike feed off of one another’s energy and by implementing some of the suggested strategies above, students faculty and parents can work towards harmony and cohesion.

Picture References: 
http://barrigasdeamor.pt/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/mindfulness-kids.png 
https://ed21c.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/ml_info_brainresults1.gif 
http://wyckofflibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/kids-yoga2.jpg 
http://www.cesa9.org/cms_files/text54531_9.jpg 
http://www.starlingagency.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/aguilar-phone-call-home.jpg 

Strategies to Promote Nurturing, Safe and Inclusive Schools

According to ASCA, school climate is the “quality and character of a school”. In a warm school climate, the school's “norms, values and expectations support all students feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe” (ASCA, 2015). Climate improvement must be inclusive of the entire school community, from staff members to parents to students. In regards to staff, this can be as simple as developing a social committee that celebrates special events in staff member’s lives (baby showers, birthdays, etc). For parents, educational workshops such as Love and Logic or phone calls home to celebrate success can help parents to feel supported. For students, the celebration of achievements and school spirit can vastly improve how students view their school. Efforts to improve school climate must look beyond students to include those that support them within the larger school community.

Key Elements of Warm School Climate

• Targeted behavior and academic interventions
• Bullying prevention
• Support for all student's potential 
• Multiple opportunities for student engagement
• Recognition of student achievements 
• Staff support for student's physical & emotional health (nurses, counselors, para-educators, etc.)
• Opportunities for family involvement and education
• Clear lines of communication between staff members and parents. 

Suggestions for Mitigating Risk and Promoting Resilience

Schools can develop systems that are preventative and teach students to persevere in spite of obstacles. Listed below are suggestions to mitigate risk and promote resilience in students:

• School-Wide Bullying Intervention. This may involve guidance lessons, strict consequences for bullying that are clearly communicated and bully prevention training for staff and parents.
• Depression Screening & Referral. Screening is a great way to target students for counseling that may otherwise fall through the cracks. Students needing extra support can be referred to outside counseling services as necessary. Parents must be involved in this.
• Use of an RTI model. RTI models (at right) provide a stair step model for staff use when selecting interventions. Interventions become more targeted as students move up the ladder.
• Restorative Justice and Skill Building. Rather than disciplining students through traditional methods (detention, reprimands), students can attend an after school program in which they are given the tools to change their behaviors.

The School Counselor’s Role in Developing a Warm School Climate

Traditionally, school counselors do the following to promote a warm school climate:

• Individual Counseling
• Group Counseling
• Guidance lessons (ex. healthy habits, mindfulness, goal setting)
• Intentional class placements where students are at the right level and have the support to succeed
• Referrals to community resources (to meet basic needs, counseling)
• Career or college exploration

Innovative Ideas to Improve Climate

School counselors can be innovators. They can suggest and implement strategies that have never been used in their schools. The following strategies can be used to promote resilience within school communities and to turn up the school temperature: 

Guidance Lessons about Grit: Teach students about how one's mindset can determine future success. Use activities to teach students to have a growth mindset. A great lesson can be found here.

Workshops for Parents: Offer optional classes to parents that provide parenting strategies on topics from stress management to motivation to helping children to make smart choices. A great example of classes for parents can be found here.

Yoga class: Yoga classes can teach students about emotional regulation and mindfulness techniques. 

Climate Committee: Student, parent and staff representatives can meet together to participate in projects to improve the school climate. Projects this group may focus on may include anonymous acts of kindness around campus, beautification projects and welcoming new students.

Conclusion

In order for a school to be functional, students, staff and parents must feel safe and welcome. When students in particular do not feel safe, their ability to learn is jeopardized. Strategies that focus on giving students, staff and parents skills to cope and make good choices are key in creating change. All members of school communities must be targeted in order for school climate interventions to be truly effective.

References

ASCA (2015). School climate: Fostering student development [Web site]. Retrieved from

http://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/professional- development/2015-webinar-series/webinar-learn-more-pages/school-climate

C Miller. (2015, September 10). Getting gritty with 8th grade [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.themiddleschoolcounselor.com/2015/10/getting-gritty-with-8th-grade.html 

Love and Logic Institute. (2015). Love and Logic [Web site]. Retrieved from https://loveandlogic.com

Image Resources

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/You-Rock-Student-Awards-768684

http://childhood101.com/2015/04/yoga-for-kids/

http://saturdaymorningcoffeeandcommoncore.blogspot.com/2014/02/going-for-gold-homage-to-effort.html

http://www.lpsb.org/parents/curriculum/r_t_i-_response_to_intervention