12      THE EAGLE GRATITUDE REPORT 2025-2026	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
   
  n today’s schools, academic excellence alone is no 
longer enough. Preparing students for a complex and 
ever-changing world requires something deeper: the 
ability to understand themselves, navigate relationships, 
and respond thoughtfully to challenges. This is the heart 
of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at St. Michael’s School, 
and it has become a defining strength of our school 
community.
At its core, SEL equips students with lifelong skills—self-
awareness, emotional regulation, responsible decision-
making, empathy, and perseverance. As School 
Counselor Courtney Croswell explains, “SEL helps 
students develop the skills they need to understand and 
manage emotions, make thoughtful decisions, build 
positive relationships, and demonstrate perseverance 
and leadership.” Just as importantly, she notes, strong 
SEL programming “fosters a caring school environment 
where students feel supported, connected, and valued 
within their community.”
From Emotions to Academics: What Changes for Students
When SEL is implemented well, its impact is visible across 
every part of a student’s experience. Students who can 
recognize and regulate their emotions are better able 
to focus, persist through challenges, and put forth their 
best academic effort. Socially, they build stronger, more 
positive relationships with peers and adults. 
“We are seeing more students use strategies like 
I-messages and respectful problem-solving during peer 
interactions,” Croswell shares. “Ultimately, SEL empowers 
students to become confident, self-aware individuals 
who can lead lives with meaning and purpose.”
The Power of Understanding the Brain
One of the most innovative aspects of our SEL program 
is the integration of neuroscience into emotional 
development, particularly in the 4th and 5th grades. This 
work, led collaboratively by counselor Courtney Croswell, 
Dr. Colleen Kelley, and Tracy Smith, gives students a 
powerful new lens for understanding themselves.
Dr. Kelley describes the intention behind this approach: 
“The goal…was to give students a language and 
framework to understand what’s happening inside 
their own minds and bodies.” By grounding SEL in brain 
anatomy and physiology, students begin to see that their 
thoughts and emotions are not abstract—they are rooted 
in real, understandable processes.
Understanding the Whole Child
HOW SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SHAPES OUR COMMUNITY 
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Story by Courtney Crosswell | School Counselor

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