Welte Education Center

Why Welte Education Center was nominated

Welte has incorporated many social emotional learning (SEL) supports including Sources of Strength, re-designed counseling and Zen Den center, consistent use of 2 x10's, Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs), Block Party, Girl's Circle, and focus on connection between staff and students and the capacity to build strong relationships. Welte uses three days for staff to design and offer courses based on their own passions and to respond to student requests for content not often taught within core curricular areas. Courses on the Hero's Journey, understanding taxes, graphic arts, sexual health, comic book/graphic novel writing etc. are popular and students experience registering for courses that they are choosing as well as connecting with teachers over shared interests. Their highest priority is elevating student voice, consistently using students on their SEL Design Team, and they continue to add more opportunities for family involvement. They also place a high priority on developing Open Partnerships with families and developing themselves as educators. Last year's common book study by all staff was Brene Brown's Dare to Lead and Welte leadership explored the application of Bruce Perry's work (Neurosequential model) and Ross Green's work in lagging skills and "all-behavior-as-communication" to their system of discipline.