Learning That Goes Beyond Academics
"The process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions."
— CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning)Our SEL program draws from the CASEL framework to develop competencies that serve students inside and outside the classroom throughout their lives.
Programs for Lower & Middle School
Two cornerstone initiatives bring SEL to life for our younger students — building mentorship, leadership, and a deep sense of community.
The Buddy Program gives 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to become a Big Buddy, paired with a younger student who becomes their Younger Buddy for the full school year.
The primary goal is to foster a sense of inclusion, support, and mentorship throughout the year. Big Buddies serve as positive role models — helping to guide and encourage their Younger Buddies both socially and emotionally through structured activities grounded in the SEL model.
These activities are designed to strengthen age-appropriate social skills and deepen each student's emotional intelligence and interpersonal connections.
The Peer Leadership Council is a service-oriented organization open to all 7th and 8th grade students. It features fourteen diverse committees, each dedicated to initiatives that support The Craig School, local communities, and broader charitable organizations.
Members develop valuable leadership and teamwork skills while making a positive impact on others. Through their service, they also build meaningful connections with peers, teachers, and the wider community — embodying the SEL values of empathy, responsibility, and collaboration in action.
Craig ConneX Program
An extension of The Craig School, the Craig ConneX Program is designed to support the social and emotional development of current and former 9th and 10th grade students. Through bi-weekly virtual group sessions led by a Craig School Clinician, students engage in guided discussions that help them navigate the social and emotional challenges they face in daily life.
Rooted in the principles of the SEL model, the program incorporates monthly planned activities that encourage students to apply their learning in real-life contexts — building resilience and connection beyond the school walls.
Group sessions led by a Craig School Clinician in a safe, guided environment.
Real-life application of SEL principles through purposeful monthly engagements.
Maintains the Craig connection for students who have moved on to new schools.
Social-Emotional Growth Doesn't Stop at Graduation
When teenagers feel valued in their community, feel competent, and have a sense of autonomy, they are more likely to engage fully in the high school experience. The Craig School's high school SEL programs are designed with exactly that in mind.
The COACH Program
The COACH program is a dynamic relationship between a student and a faculty member, built upon the principles of guidance, personal relationships, and individual growth. Each student is assigned a faculty COACH — carefully selected based on relationship dynamics, personality, and individual needs — who serves as a mentor, executive coach, and content specialist throughout the student's entire tenure at The Craig School.
The COACH becomes a personal resource to that student, their parents, and other faculty members, and is the person most familiar with the student's learning profile and current needs.
The Counseling Program
Designed to provide individual and group social coaching based on the active needs of students, the Counseling Program gives students a safe place to discuss concerns, issues, and problems as they relate to school. Students gain a better understanding of themselves and the people around them, and learn to establish and maintain stronger relationships.
The goal is to develop and practice self-advocacy and problem-solving skills. Program components include:
