Second Step

The Liverpool Central School District utilizes the Second Step Digital Program, a holistic approach to building supportive communities for every child through social-emotional learning, in many elementary school classrooms.

The Second Step Elementary digital program includes four full units of weekly, age-appropriate lessons for each grade. Lesson plans include scripting and support for teachers to guide student conversations, as well as downloadable handouts to promote student engagement.

Unit #1: Growth Mindset & Goal Setting

Unit #2: Emotion Management

Unit #3: Empathy & Kindness

Unit #4: Problem Solving

The interactive, teacher-led units include five 15- to 30-minute lessons. The last lesson of each unit is a performance task in which students demonstrate evidence of their learning.

Why Do We Need Social-Emotional Learning in Schools?

Research Links Evidence-Based SEL to Positive Outcomes:

Student Gains in...

  • Social-emotional skills
  • Improved attitudes about self, others, and school
  • Prosocial classroom behavior
  • 11 percentile-point gain in overall academic achievement

Reduced Risk of...

  • Conduct issues
  • Emotional distress