For many of us the first day of school is right around the corner. Students and educators across the country are gearing up for another year and this year the issue of bullying and cyber-bullying is not only on the student’s minds but educators as well. This year, 160,000 students will skip school each day in fear of getting bullied. With these numbers as high as they are, it's not a big surprise that academic achievement is an increasing challenge in most schools. If you want take part in making a change in your schools academic achievement and pinpointing where exactly this begins, then you can't miss the first National Conference on School Engagement.
National Center for School Engagement Presents: The National Conference on School Success
Date: October 26-28, 2011
Location: Denver, Colorado
With regestration all conference participants will be given one year free membership to the School Climate Resource Center –Operated by the National School Climate Center
Mark your calendars — February 25 is a packed day for informative, practical webinars about school climate and social emotional learning:
How Does Improving School Climate Support Student Achievement?
Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Many schools and districts have entered into the conversation about school safety and bullying, but that conversation is really 
much broader — taking into consideration the many factors that constitute school climate, and the fact that research now shows that school climate is directly associated with student achievement.
Join the Education Alliance for a one-hour, online briefing about school climate as they explore the question, "Which factors, among the many that constitute school climate, are more likely to support increased student achievement?" Specific examples of urban, rural, and suburban district efforts to improve school climate and their outcomes will be provided.
The Education Alliance at Brown University, through its Equity and Diversity Division and the New England Equity Assistance Center, is a recognized leader in technical assistance and professional development related to this topic.
Click here to register for The Education Alliance's webinar. (Space is limited!)
Click here to learn more about the Comprehensive School Climate Inventory (CSCI).
Social and Emotional Learning: Making a Case in an NCLB World
Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 7 p.m. (Eastern)
Reading, writing, and arithmetic are important -- there's no doubt of that. But it takes more than those basic academic skills for students to grow into happy, successful adults. As educators know well, children also need to learn self-esteem, self-discipline, and strong communication skills in order to succeed in school and life. But it's easy for those essential lessons to get lost in the race to raise standardized test scores.
In this session provided by Edutopia, two pioneering educators and a national education leader explain why social and emotional skills deserve time and attention -- SEL has been shown to raise test scores -- and how they provide it effectively in their schools.
Click here to register for the webinar.
How do you focus on improving school climate from the district level? Our next newsletter shares guidelines, best practices, stories from the field, funding opportunities, and additional resources to help administrators begin planning for school climate improvement.
In the meantime, here are resources from CSEE to start the conversation:
School Climate District Guide: The district guide is designed to support district policymakers and education leaders plan and implement improvement initiatives. It contains an overview of research and information about quality practices, policy options and resources.
National School Climate Standards: The National School Climate Standards were developed by CSEE, the National School Climate Council and many other educational, school board and community leaders. The Standards present a vision and framework for a positive and sustainable school climate. They complement national standards for Content, Leadership, and Professional Development and the Parent Teacher Association's National Standards for Family School Partnerships Standards, and are endorsed by the National School Boards Association.
School Climate Implementation Road Map: Use this resource to learn how you can measure and improve school climate in ways that support student and adult learning and development. This road map guides you through the process of school climate assessment, evaluation and analysis, understanding and action planning, implementing programs and initiatives, and re-evaluating school climate.
Breaking the Bully-Victim-Bystander Toolkit: This toolkit is a resource designed to support school leadership teams and school community members prevent bully-victim behavior and promote upstander behavior in K-12 schools.
What initiatives and programs have you implemented to create district-wide or school-wide change? What resources have been helpful to get buy-in and understanding from principals and school staff? Share in the comments below or email us at newsletter@csee.net so we can share your work with other districts dedicated to improving their climates for learning.
How can your school or district develop a positive school climate that fosters teaching, learning, and the development of the whole child? ASCD Whole Child's new podcast asks this question and connects you with practical next steps:
Download Podcast Now [Right-Click to Save]
Listen to Dr. Jonathan Cohen, President of CSEE and co-chair of the National School Climate Council, and Marvin Kreps, director of Curriculum and Instruction for Rhinebeck (N.Y.) Central School District, discuss how school climate standards can help educators and communities improve the quality and character of school life.
The critical link between school climate and school success has been reiterated by over 30 years of research (and common sense). A healthy school climate directly supports positive youth development, effective risk behavior, teacher retention, academic achievement and life success; nevertheless school climate is often an overlooked area in improvement plans.
Click here to download the podcast, and pick up practical supports to help you create and sustain a positive school climate.
This month's Whole Child podcast is one you will not want to miss:
School Climate: Developing the Quality and Character of School Life
Thursday, February 4th: Stream or Download the Podcast Here
Dr. Jonathan Cohen, president of the Center for Social and Emotional Education and cochair of the National School Climate Council, and Marvin Kreps, director of Curriculum and Instruction at Rhinebeck Central (N.Y.) School District, will discuss how school climate standards can help educators and communities improve the quality and character of school life.
Learn more about the podcast here at Whole Child, and stay tuned to their blog to learn more about providing rich, safe and supportive learning environments for your children.