Board delays decision on adopting Wayfinder high-school SEL curriculum until Sept. 22

The Battle Ground School District Board of Directors voted 4-0 on Aug. 11 to table the second-reading vote on adopting Wayfinder as the district's high-school social-emotional learning curriculum until the Sept. 22 board meeting.

Board President and Director, District 1 Mary Snittley opened the agenda item as the second reading of the proposed high-school SEL curriculum and invited the committee and pilot participants to present their findings and answer questions. The district asked the board to approve Wayfinder for use in secondary schools, with a phased rollout and building-level implementation planning.

School staff, counselors and teachers told the board the curriculum produced measurable engagement during the pilot. Oliver Root, a math teacher and leadership adviser at Prairie High School, said the work helps students manage the frustrations of learning: "80% of my day isn't spent talking about actual solutions to math problems. It's getting students to the point where they feel comfortable and brave enough to confront the challenges that come with learning." Valerie Louise, a school counselor at Battle Ground High School, said a…