Residents and parents in Park-Ridge Niles High School District 64 interested in how to improve the social and emotional learning of students in kindergarten through eighth grade can join a newly created focus group.
The focus group, which will meet throughout the 2017-18 school year, will be modeled on Superintendent Laurie Heinz’s Community Relations Council that formed two years ago to offer input and feedback on District 64’s strategic plan, district officials announced in a statement.
Social and emotional learning is defined by the Illinois State Board of Education as “the process through which children develop awareness and management of their emotions, set and achieve important personal and academic goals, use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships, and demonstrate decision making and responsible behaviors to achieve school and life success.”
Students who can master those skills demonstrate a greater readiness to learn, better classroom behavior and achieve greater academic performance, according to state education officials.
Members of the focus group should be interested in social emotional learning and want to help district officials implement a new curriculum “will affect every child,” officials said.
The district’s strategic plan identified social and emotional learning as a “key initiative” for the 2017-18 school year, officials said.
“The goal is to assemble a diverse group that provides a balance of stakeholder perspectives and voices from throughout the community,” Heinz said.
Participants in the focus group will serve as “communication ambassadors” and help increase the community’s understanding of social and emotional learning while providing district officials with feedback on whether officials are “meeting the expectations of the community,” officials said.
Members of the focus group “must demonstrate willingness to openly communicate, work toward positive outcomes and have the best interests of both District 64 and the larger community at the center of their volunteerism,” officials said.
Thirteen people applied to be part of the focus group as of Dec. 11, Heinz said, adding that she would like to have 20 members of the group.
The group will meet at least three times, with the kickoff meeting scheduled to take place from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 23. Additional meetings are expected to take place March 14 and April 30, officials said.
Applications, which are available online, are due Dec. 22, officials said.
Electronic applications are preferred, but copies can also be hand delivered to the district’s offices at 164 S. Prospect Ave., officials said.
Applicants selected to participate on the focus group will be notified on or after Jan. 10, officials said.
Heather Cherone is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.