Six Ysleta ISD schools in the Parkland Learning Community are benefiting from a $30,000 grant aimed at supporting the social and emotional needs of military-connected students.
The grant, which was awarded by the NoVo Foundation in partnership with Education First and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, will go toward funding a project called MC2 with SEL (Military-Connected Meeting Challenges with Social-Emotional Learning).
Funds are being used to support the social and emotional needs of military connected students at six campuses: Parkland Pre-K Center; R.E.L. Washington International School; and four elementary schools: Desertaire, Dolphin Terrace, North Star, and Parkland. These schools were chosen based on the number of military connected students enrolled and their proximity to Fort Bliss.
Military-connected students face unique circumstances that include frequent moves and parent deployment. Grant funds will provide these students with additional layers of SEL support, as each campus will receive SEL kits, books, supplies for small groups, and funding to host a military event or field trip, among other items.
Many of the schools are using the grant funds this week to help celebrate Month of the Military Child in April, including movie nights, kite day, parades, and pep rallies. Students will also participate in activities that encourage self-awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The desired impact is to increase resilience and reduce stress to positively influence student academics, behavior, school attendance, and grade-level promotion. The application for the grant was written as part of a collaboration between Ysleta ISD’s Department of School Counseling and the Office of Competitive Grants. This grant was part of the SEL in Action Awards program, which was open to all pre K through 12th-grade educators and school districts in the United States and its territories. The goal of the program was to seed projects that foster social and emotional competencies in students.
NoVo Foundation, Education First, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors are committed to supporting social and emotional learning practices in schools and districts nationwide.
