Social Emotional Learning At KYMS

Research has shown that success after graduation is far more highly correlated to one's social intelligence than one's academic accomplishments. By intimately linking the academic, social, emotional, and spiritual, we believe we will shape students who are more prepared to tackle the many real-life challenges they will face in their future education, careers, and families.

Our Advisory program consists of three sessions a week with unique, but related purposes:

• Zman Kehillah - Small group meetings with a faculty advisor
• Sample topics: Using your planner and calendar, short and long planning, developing community
• SEL - Social Emotional Learning curriculum with Mrs. Twersky and Ms. Zimmerman
• Sample topics: Naming and regulating emotions, conflict resolution, friendship, communication

 Learning is taken from those sessions into the classroom with a focus on creating a class charter and community,  collaborative social experiences such as working to plan shabbatons on committees or working on collaborative projects during project based learning, our big brother/ big sister program, application and assessment of Habits (curiosity, optimism, self control (interpersonal), self control (school work), grit, social intelligence, zest, gratitude, purpose, growth mindset) as part of academic learning, and articulation and practice of our Code of Conduct (Honesty, Empathy, Respect, and Responsibility). 

Taken as a whole, these learning experiences ensure that our students are supported in their transition from childhood to adolescence with a curriculum that promotes academic organization, problem-solving, and social-emotional exploration and regulation.

Advisory at KYMS:

• Supports 6th grade students in making the transition to Middle School by helping them adjust to a new school, classmates, expectations, schedule, curriculum, and other new experiences.
• Creates meaningful connections between academic content and social-emotional learning across subject areas.
• Provides students with ongoing and structured one-on-one support.
• Provides students with a deep connection to one KYMS teacher.
• Provides students with a safe space for sharing ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
• Allows students to be a part of a smaller community within the larger Kohelet community.
• Supports 8th grade students in their anticipated transition to High School by preparing them to adjust to a new community with different expectations, rituals, and routines.