What's Happening in Piqua, OH…

Four elementary “teacher coaches” reported to the Piqua Board of Education concerning their work in Springcreek and Washington primary schools.

At Springcreek, Frank Evans and Megan Williams, along with Washington’s Martie Mohr and Shane Minnick, are social and emotional learning (SEL) specialists. Their mission is to provide support and instruct teachers in ways to develop social and emotional skills in their students.

“Each Child, Each Future” is the name given to Ohio’s strategic education plan, the goal of which is preparing Ohio’s public school children individually for postsecondary life. As described by the Ohio Department of Education, SEL is the process of learning and effectively applying the attitudes, knowledge and skills required to understand and manage emotions, set positive goals and achieve them, plus feel and demonstrate empathy, make responsible decisions, and establish positive relationships.

Via flyer printing, schools commonly communicate with parents, sharing any new techniques for helping children overcome obstacles to their academic and personal success.

Breathing techniques to promote self-awareness, designated zones for problem-solving, controlling behavior, and reflection are among the strategies used in elementary classrooms. Also employed are calm kits a student can use to calm themselves down. The kits include, among other items, a stress ball and timer and can be used while remaining in the classroom.

An Animal-Assisted Therapy dog named Stella is even available for interaction with Springcreek students.