Do students feel warm and invited to campus by the adults that are there to greet them? Do students arrive to a place that it is clean and safe? Are all areas of your campus visually appealing to students and conducive for learning? Are students proud to be a (enter your mascot)?

Students having instruction in social emotional learning daily is an important life skill with benefits that are directly linked to positive outcomes such as safer schools, a reduction in bullying, and better classroom management. Utilizing the district adopted social emotional learning curriculum helps to provide a common language for all stakeholders. If a student transfers to another school within district, the language will be the same and will create sense of commonality and belonging within a new environment.

Can students visually see the 3-5 behavioral expectations for your school? Are they strategically placed in prime locations throughout campus, in every classroom, and space where students frequent? Are accommodations made for students who need access to behavioral expectations other than in written form? Having visuals of the behavioral expectations serves as a constant reminder of the expectations for students throughout campus. It also allows visitors to your campus to know the expectations as well.

Do all students know the 3-5 behavioral expectations for your campus? We cannot assume it is common knowledge. School wide behavioral expectations provides consistency, a sense of community, and safety. It is important for every school to have behavioral expectations and positive reinforcers implemented for students who model those expectations appropriately.

Restorative practices are a great way for students to foster positive relationships, resolve conflict, check-in with teachers, and reduce out of school suspensions. Circle time is a practice that should be a part of every class room daily.

Research has shown the positive impact that having access to one caring adult can have on a child well into adulthood (Murphy, Bandy. Schmitz, & Moore, 2013). In Peoria Unified School District wee seek to educate the whole child and believe there is at least one adult on every campus that has the ability to positively impact the life of a student.

Family inclusion, communication, and involvement are all necessary for the growth and well being on the student. We welcome families to our campuses to build partnerships so we can better serve the student.

Is your classroom a safe haven for all of your students? Does everyone feel welcomed there? How do you make your students feel welcomed? How do your students make their peers feel welcomed?  Creating an environment that students feel safe and connected helps to foster learning and creativity.

Incorporating social emotional learning as a part of the culture in the classroom has so many benefits for the educational environment when core instruction is being taught. We all must do are part in being proactive in educating the whole student.

In Peoria Unified School District, we are committed to ensuring that our teachers are equipped to teach the whole child using evidence-based practices. Providing social emotional training to teachers helps teachers to be proactive in meeting the diverse needs of students every day in their classrooms. Social emotional training will empower teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary for self-care.

Teachers are an integral in the shared responsibility of knowing and modeling school wide behavioral expectations for our students. A teacher’s knowledge of the behavioral expectations will help with positive reinforcement and to send consistent message to students.  

Visual behavioral expectations in the classroom provide uniformity, fosters community and safety. 

Restorative practices allow teachers an opportunity to check in with students, have students be a part and take ownership in their classroom community through conflict resolution, building empathy, and actively listening to their peers.

In Peoria Unified School District, we want teachers to feel supported, empowered, and equipped to handle the demands of the classroom by providing trainings that are relevant and evidence based.

The teacher/family partnership is necessary and imperative to the success of the student. Being proactive and inviting parents in to better understand how to support their student’s learning in a safe environment before problems arise helps for better understanding and dialogue.

You are not alone! Having a team of support is vital for your professional growth as well as your physical and emotional well-being.

There is a sense of comfort in knowing that you have support! As a teacher you are a part of a team of professionals on your campus that will work together to educate the whole student. The Student Support Teams will serve as the experts on your campus to help navigate and streamline the process when additional supports, referrals, or crisis arise.

Is your campus warm and inviting? Are the grounds clean and safe? Is it visually appealing? Are you, your administrators, teachers, and staff happy to be there? Are your students/parents proud to be a (insert your mascot)? Creating an environment that students feel safe, invited and proud of is optimal for learning, creating a sense of community, and accountability.

Students having daily instruction in social emotional learning is an important life skill with benefits that are directly linked to positive outcomes such as safer schools, a reduction in bullying, and better classroom management. Utilizing the district adopted social emotional learning curriculum helps schools with sustainability of the curriculum, on-going training and support, and provides a common language for all stakeholders.

What are the 3-5 behavioral expectations for your campus?  Students, teachers, staff, and visitors should all know the expectations when they walk on campus. School wide behavioral expectations provides consistency, a sense of community, and safety.

Can students visually see the 3-5 behavioral expectations for your school? Are they strategically placed in prime locations throughout campus, in every classroom, and space where students frequent? Are accommodations made for students who need access to behavioral expectations other than in written form? Having visuals of the behavioral expectations serves as a constant reminder of the expectations for students throughout campus. It also allows visitors to your campus to know the expectations as well

Having a major and minor behavior matrix allows for consistency in discipline, reduces disparities in discipline based on race, gender, and disabilities. It keeps students in the classroom.

There is growing research to support implementation of restorative practices. The benefits include a reduction in disciplinary referrals, reduction in suspensions and expulsions, reduction in lost instructional time dealing with behavior, improved teacher morale, improved teacher retention, better academic outcomes, and reduction in disproportionate of referrals for minority students (Center for Restorative Practices)

Creating incentive-based programs at your schools can be a positive reinforcer of behavioral expectations not only for students but for teachers, staff, and parents as well. Incentives help to reinforce learning, can foster team work, and show appreciation to those who are trying to do the right thing.

Research has shown the positive impact that having access to one caring adult can have on a child well into adulthood (Murphy, Bandy. Schmitz, & Moore, 2013). In Peoria Unified School District we seek to educate the whole child and believe there is at least one adult on every campus that has the ability to positively impact the life of a student. 

Utilizing data to inform our decision making is considered best practices. Data cannot only help the school with understanding the needs of a student, it may also help the student understand how they can better advocate to get their needs met.

The Student Support Teams will serve as the experts on your campus to help navigate and streamline the process when additional supports, referrals, or crisis arise. Having a trained group of professionals on campus to support the needs of the students and staff is vital to the district’s focus of educating the whole child. This team will be able to streamline the support that is received on campus in a more timely fashion while also having access to the district when necessary.

As a district we model and set the expectations for our schools therefore, we embrace a culture in which all of our stakeholders feel safe and welcomed while working or visiting our district office. We pride ourselves on having a visually appealing campus that employ a diverse and wonderful staff that work to meet the needs of the 42 schools within our district and the surrounding community.

Peoria Unified School District recognizes the importance of social/emotional learning and the role it plays in developing emotionally healthy students, increasing academic outcomes, decreasing bullying and other disciplinary issues, as well as increasing safe school environments. A district wide approach to social emotional learning allows us to be proactive in ensuring that every student, every day receives SEL instruction, it is sustainable, there is a common language in our district, and it fosters a sense of community.

There is an expectation of behavior while on the premises at the district office much like at every school. To ensure that we have a safe, welcoming, and well-run professional environment, behavioral expectations and protocols are necessary.

Visuals of the behavioral expectations allow visitors to the district office a chance to become familiar with what is expected of them while conducting business on the premises. We cannot assume that this is common knowledge.

Peoria Unified School District is committed to being proactive in its approach to educate the whole child. Having resources available helps to build trust and send the message that the needs of our schools, teachers, staff, and students are of importance and will be taken care of in a timely fashion.

There is growing research to support implementation of restorative practices. The benefits include a reduction in disciplinary referrals, reduction in suspensions and expulsions, reduction in lost instructional time dealing with behavior, improved teacher morale, improved teacher retention, better academic outcomes, and reduction in disproportionate of referrals for minority students (Center for Restorative Practices)

In an effort to support the social/emotional needs of schools the Peoria Unified School District has established district level Support Teams that are available to assist schools and their Student Support Teams in a streamlined approach when concerns arise.

Peoria Unified School District is committed to making self-care and wellness for our employees a focus by incorporating these practices as a part of our on-going professional development series.

Peoria Unified School District understands the importance of positive partnerships with the families of our students. We strive to have open communication, to be an advocate and resource in our efforts to educate the whole child.

In an effort to create a sustainable and comprehensive social emotional learning model, Peoria Unified School District recognizes the importance of community partnerships. We will continue to strengthen and foster new community relationships that help to create educational environments in which we strive to meet the needs of every student, every day.

As a parent, being informed about what is expected of your student behaviorally at school helps to reinforce the importance of following these expectations. It also gives parents a resource to utilize if there is a concern.

In Peoria Unified, we seek to create and maintain a safe and welcoming environment. We want to partner, support, and have open communication with all families in a professional manner. As your student’s first role model, we ask that you model the behavior expectations that have been put in place for all persons conducting business on our 42 campuses.

The school/teacher/family partnership is necessary and imperative to the success of the student. We want to know how to support your student’s learning in a safe environment before problems arise. This requires an open and honest dialogue with your school team.

The Student Support Teams will serve as the experts on your campus to help navigate and streamline the process when additional supports, referrals, or crisis arise. Having a trained group of professionals on campus to support the needs of the students and staff is vital to the district’s focus of educating the whole child. Parent’s will be able to utilize this team to assist with locating resources for their student.

Having a major and minor behavior matrix allows for consistency in discipline, reduces disparities in discipline based on race, gender, and disabilities. It keeps students in the classroom. As a parent we want you to be informed about the discipline practices on our campuses and we welcome you to use the tool to communicate with your team should a concern arise.

Ensuring students in Peoria Unified School District are equipped with social- emotional skills that will carry them throughout life, is everyone’s responsibility. Reinforcing these skills at home with your student will help with consistency.

There is growing research to support implementation of restorative practices. The benefits include a reduction in disciplinary referrals, reduction in suspensions and expulsions, reduction in lost instructional time dealing with behavior, improved teacher morale, improved teacher retention, better academic outcomes, and reduction in disproportionate of referrals for minority students (Center for Restorative Practices).

Community Partners are vital to the success of our district and our social emotional learning program. We value your commitment to want to help students and welcome you on all 42 of our campuses and our District Office.

We want to foster healthy and sustainable relationships with all of our community partners by ensuring that your skills and/or services can be matched with a school that could benefit from that relationship.

The safety and well-being of our student is our first priority. As a community partner, we ask that you adhere to our behavioral expectations and guidelines for providing services on our campuses. This include background checks and fingerprint clearance cards for volunteers that will be working directly with or near students.

The Peoria Unified School District seeks to create partnerships in which the common goal is support for all students.