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School Discipline Data Points to the Need for Self-Regulation Skills
Terminal Park Elementary School in Auburn, WA is one of our Whole School partners. They have an active Data Team made up of staff who are leading the implementation of BELONG Partners work at their school. Data Teams in our partner schools gather and analyze discipline data – which is documentation of when a student…
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BELONG Partners Data Teams: Addressing Disproportionality in Discipline
Using Data to Build Safety, Belonging, and Accountability BELONG Partners school Data Teams bring together a representative group of educators and administrators to share leadership and responsibility for school climate. These teams meet regularly to review discipline and climate data through a trauma-responsive, equity-centered lens. Rather than focusing on individual incidents in isolation, Data Teams…
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Start Strong and Set the Tone: Build Routines that Boost Learning and Connection
The shift from summer break to a new school year brings fresh energy and new opportunities! The beginning of the year is the perfect time to help students find their rhythm. When you build consistent routines and set clear expectations from day one you’ll begin to create a learning environment that feels safe, connected, and…
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Designing Our Own Learning
“For a lot of the young people, it’s the first time they get to be in a space side by side with teachers—not about power over, but about sharing what they care about and what they want to see happen in their school.” Alan WongBELONG Partners Facilitator By amplifying the voices of those least heard…
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Nooksack Elementary Kindergartners Skillfully Shine During Their Problem-Solving Class Meetings
Phi Bean is a kindergarten teacher at Nooksack Elementary School in Everson, WA, part of the Nooksack Valley School District. She has been teaching kindergarten there for seven years and knows firsthand the importance of social-emotional learning for kids this age. We asked Ms. Bean to share the impact of working with BELONG Partners in…
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Building a Community of Belonging at Midway Elementary
Collaborative Solutions for Emotional Growth Meet Midway Elementary, a Vibrant and Diverse School Located in the Highline School District, Midway Elementary is a vibrant example of diversity and resilience. The school’s principal, Lyon Terry, leads a team dedicated to educating 570 students from pre-K through 5th grade. Their unique dual language program teaches all students…
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Five Ways to Encourage Student Voice and Share Power in the Classroom
As educators, it’s natural to hold onto some control in our classrooms. And, sharing that power with students opens up so many possibilities. By doing so, we not only strengthen their sense of belonging but also create a more positive and equitable classroom environment. When we allow students more ownership, we open the door to…
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Strengthening Family and School Partnership at Sunnycrest Elementary
Kelley Schottle is the Principal at Sunnycrest Elementary in the Federal Way, WA, School District. Schottle and her school staff participated in the BELONG Partners workshop Rooted Relationships: Growing Equitable Classroom Communities. After taking that workshop, Schottle was interested in other components of the BELONG Partners approach. She wanted to amplify authentic family partnership and…
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Co-Regulation is Not Just a Buzzword, and It Can Be Practiced by Everyone
Co-regulation may be the new parenting buzzword, but human beings have utilized co-regulation strategies since time immemorial. Ancestral knowledge teaches us that singing together in ceremony (which stimulates the vagal nerve), drumming (which stimulates both sides of the brain), and spending time in nature (which soothes our nervous systems) are all regulating practices. The strains…
