Board approves Character Strong SEL curriculum; district plans training and coaching rollout
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Summary
The board approved a three‑year contract for Character Strong following a district pilot; staff outlined training, coaching and fidelity checks and said a $162,240 three‑year price covers curriculum and coaching under a multi‑year discount.
The Moreland School District Board of Trustees approved the purchase and districtwide adoption of the Character Strong social‑emotional learning (SEL) curriculum after a staff‑led pilot and committee recommendation.
Staff said teachers piloted two curricula (Wayfinder and Character Strong) and used the California SEL standards and local feedback to compare alignment. According to the pilot committee summary presented to the board, Character Strong scored highest on alignment, relevance and adaptability across grade bands; staff recommended district adoption for grades 3–8 with grade‑level adaptations described in the pilot materials.
District staff described an implementation plan that begins with an initial training for site teams, trains assistant principals and counselors first, and uses a train‑the‑trainer model at each site. Character Strong will provide coaching checkups through the first year; district staff said assistant principals and a site‑appointed teacher lead will oversee fidelity and periodic checks. The package presented to trustees was a three‑year contract at a discounted total of $162,240; staff told the board the district can convert to a one‑year arrangement later if needed.
Trustees asked how the curriculum aligned with state SEL standards and the district's LCAP goals; staff said the pilot used California SEL standards as the alignment rubric and that the program directly supports the LCAP goal on belonging and school climate. Board members also asked about evaluation metrics; staff pointed to the district's climate and culture (perception) survey and site feedback as the primary measures, with a commitment to evaluate implementation and outcomes after year one to decide whether to continue or modify the approach.
A trustee made a motion to approve the contract; the board adopted the recommendation by voice vote with board members present responding "Aye." Staff said rollout training is scheduled immediately, with the vendor providing ongoing coaching through the school year and local assistant principals responsible for site implementation and oversight.
