Teaching students social and emotional skills for success

In partnership with parents and guardians, Battle Ground Public Schools is committed to creating a safe and caring environment for students. This includes their social and emotional well-being. We are exploring ways to increase character education, teach students a variety of life skills and identify potential challenges before they become more serious. Input from students, parents/guardians and staff members has pointed to the need for schools to teach kindness and respect.

To support those outcomes, the district is evaluating new curriculum for high school students and new screening tools for students at all grade levels. Battle Ground's board of directors will vote on the proposed items in spring 2025. If approved, the items would be purchased using funds from a grant that the district received in 2023. Teachers and students would begin using the items in the 2025-26 school year.

See frequently asked questions

How you can be involved

Drop in at a community night to learn about the curriculum. Everyone is welcome.

📅Tuesday, May 13, 2025
⏰5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
📍Battle Ground High School media center

📅Thursday, May 15, 2025
⏰5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
📍Prairie High School media center

High school social and emotional curriculum

What it is
Materials to help high school students gain essential skills such as self-awareness, adaptability, employment skills, mental health and well-being.

Social and emotional curriculum for primary and middle school students was approved in 2023.

What we're considering

  • Wayfinder

  • School-Connect

A BGPS team will use the adopted curriculum to create lesson plans that are specific to our schools. 

Share your input on the curriculum

Screening tools

What they are
A way to proactively screen students by asking them a set of questions about their behavior, mental well-being and social emotional skills. Similar to a hearing or vision screening, this will help us to identify each student’s needs.

What we're considering

  • Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System, or BIMAS: This set of questions focuses on behavioral functioning and social-emotional skills in children and adolescents. See the questions. 

  • Resonant Social Skills Improvement System, or SSIS: These questions focus on students’ social/emotional learning and resilience. See the questions.

  • Riverside Devereux Student Strengths Assessment, or DESSA: This set of questions focuses on resilience skills, strengths and growth. See the questions.

How the results will be used
Teachers will use the results to help students be successful in the classroom and at school. As needed, the results will be shared with other staff members. School counselors will help respond to any concerns and contact the student’s parent/guardian.



Timeline

  • October 2023: BGPS receives a federal grant to support mental health services and behavioral health education. That grant will fund the purchase of materials for social and emotional learning, among other items and services.

  • August 2024: Board of directors approves requests for proposals related to high school social and emotional learning curricula and screening tools.

  • September 2024-December 2024: Project AWARE team reviews proposals and selects the finalists to pilot.

  • January–March 2025: Final two potential high school curricula are piloted in select classrooms. Parents and guardians of students in these classes were notified in advance.

  • January 2025–ongoing: Select classrooms proactively screen students using final three screening tools. Parents and guardians of students in these classes were notified in advance and had an opportunity to opt out.

  • February–March 2025: Overview of potential curricula and screening tools for instructional staff members not participating in pilot programs.

  • May 2025: Community review nights for all parents, guardians and community members to review materials and ask questions.

  • July 2025: School board hears first reading of proposed curricula and screening tool.

  • Fall 2025: Schools begin using approved materials.

Frequently asked questions