Creating Successful Futures (CSF) Program

While any child could benefit from the training, this program is designed to serve students who are not already receiving extensive special education, psychological, or outside counseling services.  The goal is to reach under-served intermediate students who are able to respond to a short-term training program. We have had great success helping students who:

• Are somewhat withdrawn or awkward who need to develop assertion or social skills.
• Lack effective strategies in problem solving
• May act impulsively or aggressively and need self-management skills
• Respond well to structure and reinforcement

Elementary school teams and the SEL counselors will collaborate to identify 7-9 intermediate students to participate in groups.  All students must have a signed parent permission form. For more information contact the SEL counselors listed

In the first two years of the program 90 % of the students improved in social skills and 86% improved in anger control and problem solving. The data was based on teacher, principal and counselor ratings.

Another indicator of success are the many positive comments we received from teachers, principals, and students.  Here are a few examples:

Teacher comments

“The small group interaction appears to have strengthened my student's self-confidence and communication skills.”

“The most positive benefit of the SEL Group was seeing the students try to use their new skills to deal with problems and conflict in more appropriate ways.”

Principal comments

“All of the students made gains in reducing their anger and learning to use their thinking to problem solve.”

“The students involved in the SEL program are some of the more influential peers in the school. Consequently their more pro-social behaviors helps other students to act more appropriately as well.”

Student comments

“I like SEL group because it helps me with my anger and it is fun. SEL group is awesome.”

“What I like about SEL group is that I can solve problems by myself.”

“I am learning a lot of things that are helping me outside of this group. What I learned is how to calm down faster.”

“I know I have learned so much. It has probably changed my life forever.”

“I would like to thank you for changing my life.”