TSA ramps up SEA focus
Fallon Abel took a leave from her position as Middle School Social Studies teacher to spend the first six months of 2023 in Finland on a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching grant to learn about Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) models. The Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by International Research & Exchanges Board(IREX). Learn more. She returns this fall to help The Sharon Academy implement a 7–12 SEL curriculum that focuses on emotional regulation, interpersonal communication, and resiliency-building skills.
TSA is seeing, first-hand, ever-greater numbers of adolescents struggling with mental health, substance abuse, and resulting behavioral issues. Fallon’s curriculum will provide students with the opportunity to learn about and develop the skills to manage these issues in an hour-long SEL class each week throughout the year. Her work will also involve training up to seven additional teachers in SEL instruction, as well as providing professional development to support all teachers with integrating SEL into their existing academic courses. Together, these initiatives will be essential to help TSA better understand and support our students and our teachers.
In addition to Fallon’s work, TSA will launch a year-long collaboration with clinical social worker Dave Melnick at NFI Vermont focused on learning fundamental skills associated with trauma work. All faculty and staff will be engaged in on-site professional development sessions learning the science of trauma, developing a common language, and investigating concrete practice changes with one another and then with students and families.