The East Penn School District has continued our focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) across all of our school buildings this school year. In today’s rapidly changing world, we recognize that academic success is intricately linked with students’ ability to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Our comprehensive East Penn SEL programs and activities extend beyond traditional academic subjects, incorporating various exercises and discussions aimed at developing healthy identities. By introducing SEL at an early age, we empower students to recognize and regulate their emotions, navigate social interactions more effectively, and make informed decisions throughout their K-12 experience. Adding SEL programs to our curriculum not only enhances students’ academic performance but also equips them with essential life skills for future success.
Elementary Schools
Alburtis Elementary School
Learning to care for our community is a vital part of social and emotional development. The Alburtis Elementary Turkey Trot combines physical wellness with compassion as students actively participate in gathering food donations for local families in need. This event helps students develop healthy habits while understanding their role in creating positive change. Through this activity, they learn empathy, social awareness, and the importance of community service – all essential components of social and emotional learning. Students experience firsthand how their actions can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, fostering a sense of responsibility and connection to their community.
Jefferson Elementary
Jefferson Elementary’s SOARS bingo showcased the power of peer relationships and leadership as older students guided their younger buddies through the game. This multi-grade activity strengthened the Jefferson school community while developing essential social-emotional skills. Older students practiced empathy, patience, and mentorship, while younger students built confidence through positive interactions with their school role models.
Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary students explored growth mindset through an engaging eHarmony lesson featuring a caterpillar’s transformation. The interactive session helped students identify and transform “worm thoughts” (fixed mindset) into “caterpillar thoughts” (growth mindset), teaching them that abilities and skills can develop through effort and perseverance.
Macungie Elementary
Macungie Elementary students engaged in Swap a Thought lessons, students practiced transforming negative self-talk into positive thoughts. First, they read cards containing unhelpful self-talk and analyzed them by asking “How is this thinking unhelpful?” and “How might the thinker feel?” Next, they selected matching helpful self-talk cards to replace the negative thoughts. Finally, they reflected by discussing “Why did you pick that thought to swap with?” and “How would it change the thinker’s feeling?”
Shoemaker Elementary School
Students across Shoemaker Elementary are embracing social-emotional learning through engaging morning meetings. In one classroom, students greeted each other in Swahili before engaging in meaningful group discussions about stereotypes. The children explored why stereotypes are harmful and developed strategies for recognizing similarities and differences among people in more thoughtful ways.
Another classroom focused on the power of kindness and positive communication. Students learned about the impact of compliments on both the giver and receiver, putting their learning into practice through a festive “Candy Cane Compliments” activity that spread joy throughout the classroom.
Wescosville Elementary School
Celebrating positive choices at the Wescosville SOAR Fall Fest! WES students earned tickets for the Fall Fest by demonstrating outstanding behavior in classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and buses. They enjoyed a fun-filled day of activities, games, dancing, and shopping – all rewards for being respectful, responsible members of their school community.
Willow Lane Elementary School
The Willow Lane “Giving Tree” campaign exemplifies social-emotional learning by teaching students empathy, compassion, and community responsibility. Through this holiday initiative, students experienced firsthand how their actions can positively impact others, developing crucial emotional awareness and social understanding. By selecting gift tags and bringing presents for those in need, students learned valuable lessons about generosity and caring for their community while recognizing that everyone’s circumstances are different. This hands-on experience in giving helped cultivate students’ social awareness and relationship skills, which are key components of social emotional development that extend far beyond the classroom.
Middle Schools
Lower Macungie Middle School
LMMS students engaged in social-emotional learning through an immersive Ancient Civilizations Trading Game. This interactive simulation challenged students to develop crucial skills like negotiation, communication, and decision-making as they traded resources between civilizations. Working in teams representing Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Chinese, and Sumerians, students practiced cooperation within their groups while building diplomatic relationships with other “civilizations.” The game required strategic thinking about resource values and trade benefits, while also developing empathy and multi-cultural appreciation through role-play. Students learned valuable lessons about trust, fair dealing, and the importance of clear communication in successful trading partnerships.
Eyer Middle School
The Eyer Student of the Month program recognizes students who demonstrate strong character, positive behavior, and meaningful contributions to our school community. This initiative not only boosts students’ confidence and motivation but also helps create a culture where students celebrate each other’s achievements and strive for personal growth. By highlighting exemplary behavior and character traits, the program reinforces important social and emotional skills that students need for success.
Emmaus High School
At Emmaus High School, our Hornet Huddle homeroom program integrates vital social and emotional learning through December’s focused lessons on perseverance and self-efficacy. These SEL activities help students develop resilience and confidence while building meaningful connections in a supportive environment. The 35-minute sessions create a “home base” where students feel safe and valued, fostering positive relationships between peers and teachers through intentional activities and discussions. This structured time allows students to practice essential life skills while strengthening our school community, one meaningful interaction at a time.
