Seaford Scholars Learn Skills And Strategies At Manor

Photo courtesy of the Seaford School District

Pictured: Seaford Manor Elementary School social worker Jennifer DeMieri, center, and psychologist Lindsay Friedman were joined by third graders, from left, Liam Waters, Ava Spinelli, Zoie Polyzogopoulos and John Tripodi following a presentation on being mindful on Dec. 12.

Seaford Manor Elementary School students are learning just what it takes to be a Seaford Scholar. Throughout the year, they are getting an in-depth look at the 10 pillars of the Seaford Scholars profile, an initiative that was introduced in September.

Each grade has two social and emotional learning sessions per month, which are led by social worker Jennifer DeMieri and psychologist Lindsay Friedman. Those two sessions focus on the same Seaford Scholars trait, in which students learn both what it means and how to incorporate it into their lives. For December, students explored being mindful, including how to be present in the moment, be reflective learners and understand the power of their words and actions.

Ms. DeMieri and Ms. Friedman tailor their lessons for each grade level. For the mindful sessions, kindergartners learned how to exercise personal self-control, while fifth graders discussed accountability and consequences. They explored how their behavior affects others, with the power to build someone up or bring someone down. Ms. DeMieri and Ms. Friedman said that goal was to give them the skills to choose the former.

All sessions included a video reading of “The Bad Seed,” a picture book by author Jory John and illustrator Pete Oswald that focuses on the personal ability of positive change. Students also left with a toolkit of self-awareness activities, such as writing in a journal, making a gratitude list, creating a vision board and doing an emotions check-in.

Ms. DeMieri and Ms. Friedman will focus on all 10 pillars by the end of the year. Seaford Scholars are communicators, flexible, humorous, innovators, mindful, networkers, principled, reflective, resilient and risk takers.

“Each session is vital because it is teaching students skills they will need throughout their whole lives,” Ms. DeMieri said. “The goal is that when they leave here, they are equipped and ready to navigate the many challenges of the world.”