At Carson, one of our major improvement strategies addresses meeting the needs of the whole-child through our implementation of the Zones of Regulation Curriculum. All teachers and specialists have been trained and are using various strategies to help students regulate emotions while recognizing that all emotions are OK. This curriculum is designed to support students in emotional regulation strategies, emotion identification, and self-advocacy skills.
Our school psychologist works with our 5th graders using a curriculum called Erika’s Lighthouse, which emphasizes understanding mental health, managing stress, building coping skills, and encouraging students to seek help if they have concerns about the emotional well-being of themselves, peers, or loved ones. She also provides age-appropriate, evidence-based lessons and strategies tailored to various grade levels, both individually and in groups. These include BrainWise, Zones of Regulation, Superflex, coping strategies instruction, peace circles, and more!
Lastly, we have many teachers who regularly utilize mindfulness strategies and approaches in their daily practices to support with transitions and regulations.
The restorative approach at Carson Elementary is a philosophy or guiding principle (not a program or specific activity) that sees relationships as central to learning, growth and a healthy school climate for students and adults. Restorative practices at Carson enable us to integrate this approach within our school culture for students, staff and the community.
Restorative practice seeks to repair relationships. Restorative practice is a strategy that seeks to repair relationships that have been damaged, including those damaged through bullying. It does this by bringing about a sense of remorse and restorative action on the part of the offender and forgiveness by the victim.
Restorative discipline is a whole school relational approach to building school climate and addressing student behavior that fosters belonging over exclusion, social engagement over control and meaningful accountability over punishment.
At Carson, restorative practices and discipline is established through restorative conversations. Staff, students and administration facilitate the conversation through the following questions:
All teachers and specialists have been trained and are using various strategies to help students regulate emotions while recognizing that all emotions are okay. This curriculum is designed to support students in emotional regulation strategies, emotion identification, and self-advocacy skills.
Harmony Social and Emotional Curriculum
At Carson, our teachers, psychologist, social worker and support staff use Harmony as the social-emotional learning program. The lessons focus on responsible decision-making, relationship skills, coping mechanisms, and mindset.
Students have a minimum of 20 minutes of social-emotional learning each day. We use Harmony Social and Emotional Learning curriculum, Zones of Regulation, as well as Character Education to drive our social-emotional learning time.