School Climate

At Seth Boyden we try to provide a calm, peaceful, and respectful school climate where all students feel safe and supported. We consider the development of social-decision making and problem-solving skills to be an important part of the education that we offer. Character education cannot just be taught through slogans or study. It is something that must be guided, modeled, and experienced. Here, character education is not isolated as a discrete topic. Instead, it is woven into the fabric of the school and integrated across all curricular areas. The social and emotional skills that we promote, model, and teach include empathy, perseverance, self-control, respect, and responsibility.

Social Work, Mentoring and Conflict Resolution Program

Intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, two of the intelligences listed by Howard Gardner, are crucial to success in school and in life. Without the ability to manage emotions, control impulses, and to work well in groups, students cannot succeed academically or socially. Students need to be able to make thoughtful decisions and to take calculated risks. They need the ability to not only work alone, but also to work well with others. For some students these skills come naturally. Other students require more guidance and support. For those students, Seth Boyden offers extensive social work, mentoring, and conflict resolution programs.

The Seth Boyden Social Work Department

Building Character and Emotional Intelligence

Our social workers provide a variety of programs and services designed to enhance students' interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences, help them understand themselves and others, cope effectively with difficulties and challenges, exercise pro-social behavior, and develop good character. An important component of these efforts is to build caring relationships and a strong sense of community within the school and beyond.

Social Worker Services

One-on-One Counseling with a social worker is provided to help students with specific issues and challenges that adversely affect their ability to function effectively in the school environment. Students learn to understand and manage their thoughts and feelings, feel better about themselves, make more responsible choices, and enhance their ability to get along with others.

Support Groups are offered on as-needed basis to help children who have experienced the death or illness of a family member, parental divorce or other significant life changes. Support groups provide opportunities for children to process their feelings, develop coping strategies, and support one another.

New Kids Sessions provide for children new to Seth Boyden an opportunity to meet one another and talk about the process of change, school adjustment, and ways to make friends in their new environment.

Friendship Circles meet for 6-8 sessions and cover such topics as active listening and positive communication, teasing and bullying, perspective-taking, appreciating differences, peer pressure and refusal skills, and handling conflict.

All Stars is a weekly behavioral incentive program run in conjunction with the Physical Education department for students in grades 4 and 5 who are working on specific social or behavioral goals. The program involves a variety of activities designed to teach and reinforce important social skills such as teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship.

Student & Class of the Week is a new incentive program also offered by the Physical Education Department. This program celebrates excellent behavior and gives recognition to those children who strive to achieve it. In their respective classes, the physical education teachers choose one student from every grade level, as well as one class each from the entire school, to be recognized for exhibiting considerate, respectful and cooperative behaviors in PE class. Selected students are rewarded with a placard of their name on the gym doors, a certificate, and a phone call home to parents to inform them of their child's achievement.

Sunshine Group helps students and their families improve their tardiness by providing strategies for getting to school on time.

The Seth Boyden Reading Corner was created to enhance the reading, listening, and social skills of all children.

Mentoring Programs

Seth Boyden builds community in other ways by establishing personal, caring relationships for students who may need it the most.

Lunch Buddies pairs at risk Seth Boyden students with Columbia High School peer counselors who provide nurturance, positive role modeling, and help with social skills. CHS students spend lunchtime with their buddy one day a week playing games and having fun.

High School Mentoring Program - Currently, the district�s social work department is piloting a mentoring program at Seth Boyden to foster relationship building and a sense of community between older and younger students. Six high school students have been coming regularly to play basketball with our fourth grade students during recess. Classes within the 4th grade have the opportunity to participate in this program on a rotating basis, which provides for a small elementary to high school student ratio. The social work department plans to expand this program to include more high school students, grades and offerings, such as dance, Ultimate Frisbee and track.

Conflict Resolution - Peer Mediation

Seth Boyden uses the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), which employs trained student mediators working with adult coaches to help other students talk out and resolve interpersonal difficulties and conflicts in a peaceful manner.