Last week Montclair Public Schools celebrated SEL Day/Week, a time dedicated to promoting Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and its five core competencies: Self-Awareness, Relationship Skills, Self-Management, Decision-Making, and Social Awareness. Throughout the week, schools engaged in activities that foster emotional well-being, strengthen relationships, and encourage self-care. Below is just a sampling of what took place.
Charles H. Bullock School participated in a kindness day domino effect event. The school collected 1,174 boxes of cereal to donate to Toni’s Kitchen, helping families in need. Students participated in a special domino display of the cereal boxes, watching as their kindness set off a ripple effect—just like in real life! It was a powerful and fun way to show how small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Watch the display in action on X.
Renaissance celebrated SEL Day by focusing on what matters most—connection and relationships. The school dedicated the day entirely to Passion Classes for both students and staff, giving everyone a chance to connect beyond academics in a meaningful way. Teachers had the opportunity to share something they love, a personal passion or deep interest with students, and in turn, students explored new skills while engaging with staff in a completely different way. Leading up to the event, students picked their top choices, and we built personalized schedules, so everyone had a day filled with experiences that truly interested them. Some of the Passion Classes included Baking, Crocheting, Yoga, Intro to DJing, How to Start a Podcast, Exploring the World, Creative Writing, Fitness, Finding Your WHY, and Scrapbooking. The day was a huge success—students and staff left feeling energized, connected, and inspired. Watch a video of the day's activities.
Bradford students participated in a school-wide yoga assembly, where they explored mindful breathing, gentle stretching, and calming poses to promote relaxation and well-being.
From bracelet making to watercolor painting, vision boards and games, Montclair High School embraced creativity and connection on SEL Day.
In celebration of SEL week, Nishuane learners had the opportunity to participate in the following grade level SEL activities: Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students made and decorated bookmarks for the second-grade students. First graders wrote a note to the Kindergarten and pre-K students sharing the most important fact to know about first grade. Second graders wrote notes to first graders that describe something that is dreamy about second grade.
Students and staff worked together collaboratively to construct an Edgemont friendship chain by connecting strips of fabric that hold a positive message about EACH student at Edgemont. They tied all the class chains together to form a schoolwide friendship chain to demonstrate the school's collective commitment to continued social and emotional learning at Edgemont.
Buzz Aldrin staff and students participated in various activities such as an advisory on conflict resolution, teaching students how to better manage conflict and difficult social situations. A schoolwide SEL Bingo activity was held in which everyone had an opportunity to participate and win prizes. Throughout the week, staff and students could put “shout outs” in to be read over the morning announcements as well.