by Heidi Gómez ·
Friday, March 21, 2025
- Among the requests of the Harvard Public Schools in next year’s budget is funding for an additional special education teacher at Bromfield, a position the schools sought but failed to obtain last year. This educator would focus on social-emotional learning (SEL).
Those of us without school-age children may wonder what SEL is. It certainly is not one of the traditional three Rs of reading, writing, and arithmetic. SEL is not a subject, per se. The Massachusetts Department of Education defines it as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.” In August 2011 the department created “Guidelines on Implementing Social and Emotional Learning Curricula” in response to anti-bullying legislation signed the previous year. Decades of research has demonstrated the benefits of SEL to students’ overall well-being and academic achievement.
SEL is done in various ways. In a telephone interview, Director of Pupil Services Michelle DellaValle said teachers across grade levels have access to lessons to teach during morning meeting at Hildreth Elementary or flex time at Bromfield. Anti-bullying is one such curriculum. Another is Second Step, a research-based program that helps elementary students develop skills like empathy, problem solving, and goal setting. Last summer, Harvard schools adopted Wayfinder to address adaptability, self-awareness, collaboration, empathy, agency, and purpose. Students returning to school after an extended absence can receive short-term social-emotional support from a school adjustment counselor through the BRYT (Building Resilience for Youth in Transition) or STAAR (Student Transitional Assistance and Academic Reengagement) programs.
Many classrooms have incorporated “calming corners” to help students self-regulate and remain in the classroom when stressed. School counselors (formerly known as guidance counselors) are available to any student as a first line of support.
According to high school Principal Kim Murphy, SEL is “interwoven into everything,” including facilitating group work, perspective taking, and respectful disagreements in class. “I think the world could use as many good humans as possible,” Murphy said.
Similarly, middle school Principal Dan Hudder noted that students can develop skills in leadership, collaboration, and communication when working with others with different learning styles or backgrounds. It can foster a stronger community and improve school climate.
DellaValle reported an increase in the number of students with social-emotional difficulties in recent years, as well as an increase in the intensity of their needs. Hudder also has seen these difficulties in the form of class avoidance, social-emotional dysregulation, and “antisocial behaviors,” such as in the use of “poor language” that is inappropriate for school. And Murphy reported anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress in high school students. In addition, problems with social interactions that have long been an issue for teenagers seem more pronounced now. Cellphones, social media, and a constant online presence make it impossible for students to leave problems at school.
A subset of students with intensive social-emotional challenges require specialized instruction to make progress in school. The students need skill building in emotional regulation, self-management, or social awareness beyond what is available in general education.
However, DellaValle described a gap in the continuum of services, such that students with these significant emotional disabilities do not have the in-house support they require. “We’re one of few districts that doesn’t have this type of program existing in the district,” she said. Harvard students with emotional disabilities account for one of the highest percentages of out-of-district placements. Educating students outside their home district is costly, as the district has to cover the expense of tuition and transportation.
Having a special education teacher with expertise in social-emotional learning would provide dedicated support at Bromfield, according to school administrators. With an understanding of both the educational and emotional needs, this teacher could develop plans for students and provide direct instruction in the skills they need to succeed in school. Having a dedicated classroom could give students a safe place to work through a problem and receive support as needed. Some students may need support just once in their weekly schedule, while others may need it for more periods of the school day. Hudder also cited an additional benefit for other educators in the district, saying this teacher could provide in-house professional development.
Murphy noted the importance of the funding for the new position. “I think everyone is impacted when the school community is not funded in the way that it needs to be for the entire community to thrive,” she said. “We are a full organism that needs to work together.”