SEL Initiative 2022-2023

Updated October 17, 2022.

Set the SEL Stage at Your OST Program

This month we launched the very first cohort of the Prime Time SEL Initiative (SELI), drawing on the lessons learned from the Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative (PSELI) on best practices in implementing social emotional learning (SEL) in out-of-school time spaces.

The four participating sites in the 2022-2023 yearlong cohort pilot are Adopt a Family, Greenacres Afterschool, Guatemalan Mayan Center South Grade and Hope Centennial Afterschool. At the pre-launch SEL Leadership session in September, cohort OST Directors and key staff explored SEL best practice based on PSELI RAND findings, received peer mentoring from Diamond View Afterschool Director based on his PSELI experiences in 7 to 7 SEL implementation and spent time planning their site goals for the year.   Approximately 25 OST staff members are currently participating in weekly professional development to build adult social emotional skills (Adult SEL Series) as a foundation to a positive climate and culture in afterschool.

This cohort will also be receiving specialized SEL professional learning and coaching supports to explicitly teach social emotional skills to youth in afterschool through regular mindfulness-based SEL practice using the Inner Explorer Classroom application and other curricula tools within an Afternoon Meeting structure.

What is Afternoon Meeting? 

The Afternoon Meeting is the out-of-school time complement to the Morning Meeting that helps to ensure continued SEL skill-building with a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. focus. Morning/Afternoon Meeting is an interactive group practice that teaches explicit social and emotional skills to youth. Morning/Afternoon meetings are rooted in the Responsive Classroom approach, a social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that is implemented in K-12 schools nationwide.

The Afternoon Meeting, like the Morning Meeting, entails an intentional circle gathering where the adult models and facilitates four activity segments, namely, the Greeting, the Sharing, the Activity and the Message.

Afternoon Meeting Lesson Plans

Pink Red Yellow Hearts Social Media Day Animated Instagram Story Post

Resources

Contact

Knellee bisram

SEL Specialist
561-244-5119
kbisram@primetimepbc.org

SEL Stories from the Field

Youth Learn About Resiliency in Afternoon Meeting

2nd to 4th graders at Forest Hill Elementary Afterschool Program spent time sharing their emotion colors of the day, reviewing the meaning of resiliency, and talking about what they would do to deal with a situation that wasn’t going their way in a recent Afternoon Meeting. Youth also reflected on their favorite parts of the meeting and…

Inner Explorer and Afternoon Meeting Offer “Reset” to Afterschool Programs

OST Practitioner from Rolling Green Elementary Afterschool Program, a phase 2 site Vanessa Cantave shares the impact that the Inner Explorer Mindfulness App and Afternoon Meetings are having on youth and staff in her program. “We’ve been doing Inner Explorer and Afternoon Meetings. The students enjoy both activities. The best for them is that they are able…

Youth at Egret Lake Elementary Afterschool Program Show Their Gratitude

Amid COVID-19, youth at Egret Lake Elementary Afterschool Program came together to perform Good Job by Alicia Keys to show their gratitude to front line staff, health care workers, teachers, afterschool counselors, parents, guardians and more for all they are doing during the pandemic.

PSELI Phase 1 and Phase 2 OST Staff Can Now Access Mindfulness Program

It is with great excitement that we introduce our new Prime Time-Inner Explorer Portal  exclusively for PSELI Phase 1 and Phase 2 OST staff and families!! Inner Explorer’s mindfulness program fosters improved focus, emotional regulation, academic achievement, compassion, and creativity. It has advantages for staff too. The program is designed to be easy to use, “just…

Palm Beach County Highlights in 2020

Staff Show Gratitude at Hope Centennial

Hope Centennial Elementary, a Phase 2 PSELI school, is supporting adult SEL with their “Thankful Boards.” Teachers and staff are able to share notes of gratitude and appreciation for each other in the staff lounges. Way to go, Hope Centennial!

Diamond View Elementary Offers Virtual Yoga Sessions to Families

Diamond View is using PSELI funds to offer free virtual Yoga Sessions for families in December. The benefits of yoga are increased self confidence and self management skills.

Crosspointe Elementary: Connecting to Families Through School Day and Out-of-School Time Leads to Youth Benefits

Written by: Pam Newsome and Stefania Giannella Building relationships between school-day and out-of-school time (OST) staff benefits not only school climate and culture, but also youth. When that relationship-building is paired with family engagement, the possibility of success dramatically increases. Crosspointe Elementary Principal Dr. Ann Marie Dilbert, Parent Liaison Courtney Roper, and OST Director Abeer…

Mindfulness with Families at West Gate Elementary

On February 19, 2020, Prime Time’s SEL Specialist Knellee Bisram facilitates a mindfulness training with families at West Gate Elementary during a School Advisory Meeting.