#Yale child study center dogs how to

“When teachers feel good about their work and in themselves, then it trickles down to the children and they feel better about their work and themselves,” Sullivan-Kowalski said. Sullivan-Kowalski emphasized that if the adults are in a good place, the students can be too. “Just trying to encourage kids to participate in as many different extracurricular activities because we know that the research shows that when kids are connected to school, they do better,” Sullivan-Kowalski said. So, the district promotes extracurricular involvement and offers various activities in which students can participate. Making sure students feel a part of their school community is a priority, Sullivan-Kowalski said. “To red flag that there is an issue and that also is helpful because if somebody is feeling a certain way and they are not comfortable telling somebody, they can type it and send it,” Sullivan-Kowalski said. What the students choose to write will be immediately shared with the school psychologists, the school principal and Alvin Larson, research and evaluation specialist for Meriden Public Schools. Students can also use an online tool called Speak Up, which gives them the opportunity to connect with support services. “Teachers are able to identify if there are students that might need to be connected to a person or an activity or if there is somebody that may like something, but they’re not connected to that yet,” Sullivan-Kowalski said. Students take the “Getting to Know You” survey at the end of the year for use in the following school year. “To assist families in getting connected with CHC for outside therapy services,” Sullivan-Kowalski said.Īlong with that, Sullivan-Kowalski said that the district uses a climate survey and a “Getting to Know You” survey. The Community Health Center (CHC) provides behavioral health services in all of the schools in the Meriden district, said Patricia Sullivan-Kowalski, assistant superintendent of student support. “And to help support teachers so that they are able to really address the needs of the students,” Cavallaro said. “Staff has been trained in the RULER approach and it is utilized in classrooms throughout the district,” Cavallaro said.Ĭavallaro said that the district has added more social workers, school psychologists and board-certified behavior analysts, which also supports student needs. RULER has been implemented in all grade levels in Southington. “It really examines teacher well-being, school climate, classroom climate and student social-emotional well-being,” said Rebecca Cavallaro, director of pupil services for Southington Public Schools.

RULER is a program developed by the Yale Child Study Center.

“It’s about having kids at all age levels being able to recognize their emotions, to understand what that emotion means, to label it,” Silano said. “Helping them understand how best to prepare for exams and to help them reduce tension and anxiety around midterm exams,” Silano said.īoth Cheshire Public Schools and Southington Public Schools utilize RULER, which stands for recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing and regulating emotions. Silano said another “big hit” at the high school is a program called “Cocoa and Cram” where upperclassmen meet with underclassmen to talk about strategies for taking the midterms. “Those therapy dogs come into the schools and they are a big hit with the kids,” Silano said.

“But our students at the high school, in particular, are more familiar with this because it was implemented a number of years ago … Students found it was helpful to them both before taking a test and also to fall asleep at night.”Ĭheshire Public Schools received a grant from the Elim Park retirement community which allowed the district to work with an organization called Pet Partners to bring into schools therapy dogs and a bunny. “They know when to engage that, when to implement it in the classroom, depending on the grade level and the time of day,” Silano said.

#Yale child study center dogs how to

They then bring this technique to the classroom, teaching their students how to do it as well. Silano said that the district taught teachers how to practice mindfulness, which means being in the present moment. In Cheshire, Assistant Superintendent Marlene Silano said they have put into place a variety of programs including mindfulness practice and therapy dog visits, and incorporated activities at the high school where kids can decompress while learning how to tackle exams. The Record-Journal talked with administrators from the Meriden, Southington and Cheshire school districts about how their schools have been supporting students and staff members. Mental health continues to be a priority in area school districts as administrators implement programs and support services to help students and teachers.