Page 65 - Superintendent Annual Report 2023-24

Safe Schools Ambassadors

The Safe Schools Ambassadors (SSA) program recruits and cultivates student leaders from various groups on school
campuses to serve as allies with adults in preserving positive campus climates. It was predicated on the premise that
students see, hear, and know things about campus interpersonal dynamics that adults do not know and can intervene as
influence agents in ways that adults cannot. Safe Schools Ambassadors intervene with specific diplomatic communication
skills in non-classroom settings to defuse conflicts, support targets, distract or reason with aggressors, and neutralize cruel
humor, harmful gossip, rumors, and intergroup prejudice.

This program builds a cadre of skilled students who model, utilize, and extend high-level social and emotional learning skills
on elementary and secondary campuses and helps maintain the peace on campuses. It maximizes the social and emotional
learning skills of the SSA and advisors so they can utilize positive approaches to problem solving in classrooms, at home,
and in the community.

During FY24, the department rebranded the SSA training and dedicated a team of five trainers to provide comprehensive
training for school teams. Forty-two school sites across the District were trained, resulting in 965 Safe School Ambassadors.
Following initial training provided onsite by the Department of Safe Schools, school site advisors met with SSA regularly to
supervise, debrief, and provided ongoing support for their program.

Skills for Learning and Life and Resiliency Education

In FY24, the District continued its focus on building a sense of belonging, safety, and acceptance while cultivating skills
necessary for all students to be successful in school and life. The District’s Skills for Learning and Life (SLL) Resource
Center provided weekly lessons to support students in meeting the outcomes of the Florida Department of Education’s
new Resiliency Standards. SLL themes outlined in the FY24 Skills for Learning and Life Guide were aligned to each grade
level’s Florida Resiliency Education Standards. In addition, the SLL team provided Morning Meeting and Community
Circle resources to elementary and secondary schools so students could practice applying life skills while strengthening
relationships with peers and staff.

Skills for Learning and Life Book of the Quarter
This SLL initiative provided a school-wide shared reading experience each quarter so all elementary students could engage
with a common text that promoted an SLL Essential Idea to foster and strengthen their school community. The SLL essential
ideas for FY24 focused on self-compassion, resilience, belonging, and empathy.

Skills for Learning and Life Climate & Culture House System Cohort Initiative
Sixteen elementary and middle schools participated in a new cohort to create a positive climate and culture for students
and staff that builds character, strengthens relationships, and enhances a sense of belonging in school by implementing a
House System. The House System sorts students and staff into smaller communities called Houses. Every staff member
and student is sorted into a house so everyone feels a sense of belonging at school. The House System builds a school-
wide community by providing opportunities for students to socialize with peers outside of their classes and with positive
adult role models beyond their classroom teachers. In addition, the House System provides a plethora of youth leadership
opportunities.

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