District proposes Second Step program for K'6, estimates $26,000 cost; committee to review implementation

Council Rock's student-services staff proposed adopting the Second Step social-emotional learning (SEL) program for kindergarten through sixth grade and told the Education Committee the district has secured last year's pricing if the board approves purchase.

"Much of what Second Step offers is directly aligned with our goals here in the district," said Dr. Casey Black, Supervisor of Student Services, summarizing the program's lessons on growth mindset, goal setting, empathy, kindness and problem solving. Black said the digital program includes a leader dashboard that allows principals to monitor lesson completion and assign additional instruction for cohorts with elevated behavior referrals.

Representatives from Second Step participated by phone. The district said the K'6 license will cost $26,000 pending approval. Black described an implementation plan that would run lessons weekly (15'30 minutes) over roughly 20 weeks; staff said lessons would usually take place in regular classrooms and not in health or homeroom for the elementary grades. Building leaders and tech integration staff will coordinate rollout and training. Second Step staff offered district kickoff webinars and building-level sessions.

Staff described evaluation metrics: the district runs a universal social-emotional screening three times per year and tracks attendance and discipline referrals (through the SWIS system), which will be used to measure program effects. Committee members asked whether the program addresses secondary students; staff said they will use assemblies and morning-announcement themes at the secondary level while researching secondary curriculum options.

The item will be placed on the board agenda for formal approval; no committee vote was taken at Thursday's meeting.