Instructional committee backs ChangeMakers social-emotional curriculum for districtwide K-5 use

The Concord School District Instructional Committee voted to recommend that the full school board adopt ChangeMakers, a K–5 social-emotional learning curriculum, after a pilot and district-level review.

The proposal grew out of a district SEL committee that selected a program aligned to CASEL competencies and piloted two options in classrooms. Fern Seiden, director of student and staff wellness, told the committee that 12 teachers piloted materials across multiple grades and that the group decided in January 2025 that ChangeMakers produced the best student engagement and classroom fit. "ChangeMakers was the one that kids were most excited about and that teachers were most excited about," Seiden said.

The nut graf: Committee members said they favored a single, districtwide Tier 1 SEL curriculum to create shared language and consistent learning experiences for students who move between Concord elementary schools. The Project AWARE grant will cover the upfront costs of kits and associated training for the first four years, staff said, and the district expects teacher professional development and family engagement to accompany classroom implementation.

Committee presenters described classroom materials and pacing: teachers will receive a kit (manual, posters, literature and hands-on supplies) and follow a pacing guide of roughly one 20–30 minute lesson per week, with 25–31 lessons per year depending on grade. Kristen Kaufman, a kindergarten teacher at MBS, and other pilot teachers showed samples of student journals and described lessons that include breathing and body-awareness exercises, class discussion prompts and family-facing letters. Seiden said the program builds year-to-year so concepts introduced in kindergarten are intentionally deepened in later grades.

Presenters emphasized implementation supports. Fern Seiden and presenting teachers said Project AWARE funds will cover the initial kit purchases and training; Seiden said the district budgeted about $52,000 for the initial rollout and that individual kit replacement later would cost roughly $900 per classroom. She also said training from the vendor will be provided and that the program’s materials can be adapted (for example, substituting similar children’s books) while maintaining instructional integrity. "Project AWARE is paying for this," Seiden said, noting the grant lists SEL as an allowable prevention activity.

Committee members raised scheduling and tiered-support questions. Members asked how the weekly lesson would fit into packed elementary schedules; presenters said lessons will often align with interactive read-aloud time or a designated writing block so teachers do not need to add separate daily periods. The group also discussed that ChangeMakers was selected as a Tier 1, universal program; it does not supply Tier 2 interventions for smaller populations, and presenters said the district will continue to use other targeted supports for students who require additional services.

The committee also discussed translation and family engagement: staff plan family letters to be translated and trimester feedback loops to monitor classroom experience. Seiden said the district has about a year-and-a-half of baseline data from other SEL work and will collect follow-up data during the rollout to assess changes.

The motion to recommend the ChangeMakers adoption to the full board for a May vote passed 4–0. Committee membership present and recorded as voting in favor were Sarah Robinson, Sarah Sadowski, Bridal Hastings and Pam Walsh.

The ending: If the full board approves the recommendation at its May meeting, district staff plan trainer "train-the-trainer" sessions in May, three-hour teacher professional development at the start of the next school year, and an implementation cycle the district described as four years with ongoing fidelity and data checks.