Editor’s Note: Community Comment is a feature of The Mount Airy News, presenting commentary from community leaders in Mount Airy and Surry County.
I am writing to reflect on the recent Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Question and answer session that took place on Tuesday, June 6, hosted by Surry County Schools. The purpose of this community session was to address any concerns or questions related to the implementation of SEL and leadership framework in our district and to foster a deeper understanding of its significance in supporting our students’ well-being and academic success. A panel of local educators listened, learned, and answered questions from the community and worked to address misinformation on what is happening in Surry County Schools. I appreciate everyone that attended and participated in the event.
As a recap I want the community to know, Surry County Schools does not try to shape your child’s views on the right or wrong of gender identity or sexual orientation. Surry County Schools does not teach Critical Race Theory or that America is systemically racist. We do not teach children to rebel against their parents.
In Surry County Schools, we firmly believe that a strong partnership between our schools and families is paramount to the success of our students. We are committed to maintaining open lines of communication and fostering parent engagement to support our shared goal of providing a dynamic education that nurtures the whole child. We believe that parents are the number one teacher. We believe all students have the right to come to school in a safe environment free from bullying, harassment, and violence.
Surry County Schools is a state-supported, public school system. We have standards we are required by law to teach. These standards include both academic standards and social and emotional learning standards. Surry County Schools creates and implements our own local curriculum to teach these standards. This curriculum is designed and written by local teachers and administrators and then approved by our Board of Education.
To further enhance communication and address common questions, we have created a Frequently Asked Questions resource that provides information about SEL curriculum integration, communication strategies, and parent engagement. We encourage you to access this resource and familiarize yourself with the valuable insights it offers. It can be found on our district website at https://www.surry.k12.nc.us/Domain/4105.
Moving forward, we will continue to prioritize effective communication and parent engagement as we strive to create a learning environment for our students’ social and emotional well-being. We value your input and partnership on this journey, and we welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and questions regarding SEL and the leadership framework. Our schools are open for tours at any time and we are always looking for volunteers to help read to our students.
Surry County Schools values the trust that parents put in us to care and nurture their child while also providing an excellent education that is grounded by local people teaching and learning together to strengthen our community schools. Public education is a cornerstone of our democracy and a place where all students come together to learn and grow. We must protect public education and the good people who have dedicated their life to serving our students.
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to the success of Surry County Schools. Together, we can encourage our students to develop essential social-emotional skills, foster resilience, thrive academically and personally to make Surry County a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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