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Jefferson Elementary students demonstrate gains from Second Step social-emotional lessons
Summary
Students and staff from Jefferson Elementary presented to the board about daily use of the Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum and described classroom examples and student takeaways.
Jefferson Elementary staff and students presented to the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District Board of Education on April 14, 2025, to describe classroom results from the Second Step social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum.
School staff said Second Step is taught daily at Jefferson through a digital platform with supplemental activities. The curriculum includes four units (growth mindset and goal setting; emotion management; empathy and kindness; and problem solving), each with five lessons, and students reported practicing the lessons during class projects and at home.
School counselor Lauren Xu told the board the program focuses on growth mindset, emotion management, empathy and problem solving. Student presenters Ayla, Addison Loing and Wyatt described classroom activities and personal takeaways. Ayla said the class used goal setting to organize a food drive that collected 100 cans in two weeks. She told the board, “I learned that setting 1 goal can make a big difference and help others.”
Addison described learning emotion-management strategies, saying, “I can rethink situations and see them in a more positive way” and that she uses deep breathing at home to calm herself instead of getting more upset. Wyatt described a unit on empathy and kindness and gave playground examples, saying he checks on injured classmates and helps peers who are sad.
Jefferson leaders emphasized they are building a school culture around the motto “every student, every day, whatever it takes” and said adults at the school are using the SEL strategies to support students’ emotional and mental-health needs so students can participate academically.
Board members thanked the students for presenting and a board member said it was “phenomenal” that students are learning emotional-management skills. The presentation concluded with the board moving on to the superintendent’s report.
Ending: District staff said the presentation was intended to show impact examples rather than a full program rollout; board members encouraged other schools to consider SEL strategies and indicated they would continue to monitor student supports and outcomes.
