November 17, 2023 - Provan Opportunity Center staff are cultivating empathy and kindness with students through monthly social-emotional learning (SEL) projects. The classes have been pivotal in fostering meaningful connections within this unique community.

The center, which works with students who have been placed there due to disciplinary issues, does not have a consistent student body, so building relationships and connections can be difficult.

Last month, the classes focused on understanding and navigating grief, with a heartfelt emphasis on honoring departed loved ones through a community ofrenda.

During this month of Thanksgiving, the SEL classes have deliberately chosen a theme centered around acts of kindness and empathy, aiming to deepen the bonds among community members. Through a heartwarming project, every participant, including students and staff, contributed to creating a positive atmosphere.

Students and staff personalized paper bags and transformed our shared space into a vibrant display of individuality. The primary goal? Cultivating a culture of appreciation and gratitude. Over the past week, staff and students were encouraged to add compliments and messages of gratitude to each member of the community.

When PfISD leaves for the Thanksgiving break, students and staff will take their messages home to enjoy over the holiday. 

These small acts of acknowledgment and appreciation serve as threads tightly weaving the fabric of our community, with the goal that every student leaves the center understanding their individual value to the community and empathy for others. 

“Our students are fantastic people with kind and empathetic hearts,” says Emily Delgado, POC Principal. “We hope these important lessons will carry with them through high school and beyond.”

Here's to a season of gratitude, kindness, and the flourishing connections that define PfISD.