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District SEL specialist outlines student belonging work, new Panorama measures and classroom interventions
Summary
Social‑emotional learning specialist Stephanie Rebellini described Panorama surveys, K–2 interviews, classroom lessons on belonging, peer‑leader programs, transition events, and next steps to close the feedback loop with staff and families.
At the workshop Stephanie Rebellini, the district's social emotional learning and family engagement specialist, summarized a year of work to measure and strengthen students' sense of belonging across East Haven schools.
Rebellini described the district's use of Panorama: K–2 teacher proxy interviews for youngest learners, student surveys for grades 3–12, staff and family surveys, and newly piloted one‑on‑one student interviews conducted by school social workers to better understand flagged responses. Staff surveys and family surveys are configured differently: staff and family instruments are anonymous while the student instruments are intentionally identified so the school support team can follow up with individuals who report low belonging.
Rebellini said follow‑up actions included classroom lessons distinguishing "fitting in" from "belonging," Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS) circle discussions, peer leadership programs and school‑level transition events (for example, structured panels and social activities to prepare fifth graders for sixth grade). She said teams are using survey results to identify students for one‑on‑one conversations and to shape school‑level action plans.
Rebellini highlighted two school‑based action teams (Overbrook and Momoquin) that are piloting family engagement and transition activities and said the district is piloting routine "Panorama student check‑ins" in some classrooms so student voice becomes part of the daily schedule. She also noted the "Engagement Exchange" podcast on the district website as a way to amplify staff and student voices about belonging work.
Board members praised the work and encouraged continued partnership with families and community providers. Rebellini and district staff identified next steps that include expanding partnerships, scheduling regular "closing the loop" meetings to share action commitments with families, and planning learning walks focused on belonging practices.
