Free Tool for Educators: Last Year's Experience Forms This Year's Plan

Welcome to October!!  By now, the smell has faded from your new school year calendar, you have already lost, lent, or given away many of your writing utensils, and the day-to-day challenges have begun to set in.  At the same time, your routines are established, your students know what to do, and you are likely through your review period and into teaching new material.

NYS Passes Mental Health Curriculum Requirements: Where Does SEL Fit In?

New York State's new mental health literacy curriculum is now in effect for the 2018-19 school year. As it has rolled out, there has been some confusion about whether social and emotional learning programs, curricula, strategies, and practices are enough to satisfy this new law.

NYS Releases SEL Benchmarks!

At the SEL Center, we are often asked what social and emotional skills look like at different ages and stages. What should a Kindergartener be able to do? How much can a 5th grader actually handle? Is this appropriate behavior for a high school senior 

Meet the COMET team

It's our people that make us unique!Since 2008, the COMET team has been working to support the success of children. The people who develop and support COMET have first-hand knowledge of the challenges child-focused organizations face when operating and evaluating their programs. 

The value of T-CRS data

I have had the unique experience of working with Primary Project previously as a coordinator for a community mental health agency and now as a school counselor. For the past five years, I have served as the school counselor for Turnbow Elementary in Springdale, Arkansas. We have a diverse student population of 650 students: 89% of students receive free or reduced lunch; 65% of students are Latino; 18% are Marshallese; 15% are Caucasian; 2% are African American. Whether in my role as a community mental health professional within an agency or now as a school counselor, I find the data I receive from the T-CRS valuable.

Summer Brights and Summer Blues: Supporting Kids in Transition

Community Profile: Danette Campbell-Bell and Strings for Life

Danette Campbell-Bell is a highly skilled Youth Development Practitioner, Consultant, Trainer, Instructor, Coach, Mentor and Conference Speaker with over twenty years of experience in developing, implementing and managing creative, quality youth programs with a track record of high performance outcomes.  Danette is a champion, advocate and voice for children and youth. She is the Seed Planter!

Rochester Pyramid Model Leadership Summit Promotes Young Children's Social and Emotional Health

Parent guide for children and their caregivers: Starting life together

Provided by New York State, this guide covers the first five years of your parenting journey. Whether you are the mother or father (through birth, adoption, or foster care), a grandparent, partner, family friend, aunt or uncle with parenting responsibilities, what you say and do in your role as a parent matters.

Meet the SEL Center Team

By Caitlin Orbanek, SEL Center Project CoordinatorThe Social and Emotional Learning Center at Children's Institute is a true team with a collaborative approach. Our staff works with many others across Children's Institute, we partner with community members and organizations, and we have a talented bench of expert trainers and educators across our area. When you reach out to the SEL Center for collaboration, consultation, resources, or just to chat, you will probably be speaking with one of the three staff members listed here.