Freshmen will begin to participate in the new Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program that will begin in the 2014-2015 school year.

All freshmen will be required to miss half of their lunch period three days a week in order to participate in the program. The new project, called Freshman Achieving Maximum Excellence (FAME,) is being implemented after the district-wide SEL survey last year revealed that students are often stressed by the pressure to maintain good grades in school and to participate in both extra-curricular and social activities.

“We’re the only local school without an advisory program, so [the counselors] have been trying to create a mentoring program, but it’s been difficult for it to succeed. We tried to implement mentoring programs in the past and we always got a ton of awesome mentors but we lacked mentees. Currently, only 70% of the freshman have a study hall with peer leaders, so the new program would reach all freshman and all special education students,” Matt Liberatore, counselor, said.

The program will run every week, on Tuesday through Thursday, allowing the students to have their full period of lunch on both Monday and Friday.

Currently, Tuesdays will be committed to having the freshmen work with either a counselor, social worker, or administrator that will be teaching certain parts of the SEL designated curriculum.

“The groups will be alphabetized so that the students will be working with their own counselor. We’ll be teaching things like time management, communication skills, and a lot of things that will be useful in life after high school,” Liberatore said.

In addition to teaching important skills, the program will also focus on introducing the freshmen to the school and things that could be of use to them.

“We also might bring in the deans, the school nurse, or even tour places around the school, like the [Math Resource Center] or the literacy center. We want [the freshman] to feel accustomed in their own school and know the resources available to them,” Liberatore said.

The other two days per week dedicated to the program will consist of peer leaders running activities based on the specified SEL curriculum of the week. The FAME leaders will be running activities focusing on team-building, stress management, and dealing with emotional hardships.

“We accepted applications for [the FAME leaders] and then we held interviews. There were over 50 students interviewed, and 24 were selected. We looked for students who were leaders in other areas and those who were vocal and articulate because we want the freshman to feel comfortable with them,” Liberatore said.

In addition, the program aims to reduce wasted time in the cafeteria and help students form relationships with their counselors. This year, freshmen were cited for 84 behavioral problems, 20 of which occurred during lunch periods. By using half of the lunch period, the FAME program intends to lower that amount and prevent disruptive behaviors. Having classes three times a week also  allows students to feel more comfortable meeting with their counselors.

“Sometimes I have students that I only meet with once a year to go over their schedule. I still have kids that don’t know how to make an appointment with me. I don’t like when I get a call from a teacher and they ask me to speak to a student about certain behaviors because they barely know me. Why would they listen to me?” Liberatore said. “This program lets me meet with my freshman students every week, so I get to know them and they get to know me. It gives us a bond we normally wouldn’t be able to have.”

If the program is successful,then the high school and the counselors in charge will consider expanding it and making the program available  to all grade levels in future years.

“This has been a project two years in the making, and it’s been a collaborative effort between several people. I went to Stevenson [High School] to see how their [peer leader] program worked, and when I talked to the students I could really see all  the benefits,” Liberatore said. “Knowing my students lets me help with college searches and recommendations because I know more about them. Overall, I’m just hoping to establish a strong relationship with my students.”