District expands 'Second Step' social-emotional curriculum; staff report classroom and school climate gains

Wichita Public Schools staff on Aug. 4 outlined Second Step, the district’s core K–8 social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, telling the Board of Education the program is taught daily in elementary homerooms and through middle-school advocacy classes.

Amanda Sharshel, an elementary instructional leader, and Justin Castle, executive director for secondary curriculum and instruction, described Second Step lessons as 15–30 minute weekly modules that teach growth mindset, emotion management, problem solving and relationship skills. The district said lessons include “brain builders,” read-alouds, role play and written reflection; materials and family communications are available in multiple languages.

Hannah Evans Mendoza, a fourth-grade teacher at Washington Elementary, told the board she uses Second Step for team-building, journal reflections, conflict conversations and to teach coping strategies and goal-setting. District coaches also provided classroom vignettes: one middle school teacher reported a student who had shown limited empathy learning to congratulate classmates and encourage peers after targeted lessons.

District staff said Second Step aligns with Kansas Social Emotional Character Development (SECD) standards and CASEL competencies. Committee for Children, the curriculum publisher, will supply tiered lessons this fall to support a multilayered response: universal lessons for all students, targeted lessons for some students and intensive ones for a few.

Board members asked about flexibility: teachers said lesson sequencing is adaptable to classroom needs and that some schools add a second conversation day to deepen reflection. Staff recommended inviting board members to observe Second Step lessons in classrooms this fall.

The district also said recent parent and senior survey data will be presented in September to track student outcomes tied to SEL and employability skills.