Social Emotional Development
At Valor Academy Elementary School (VAES), we focus on the whole child. We believe that achievement and growth in core academic programs is important, and equally important is a child’s social-emotional development, physical wellness, and happiness.
To support our students’ social emotional development and emotional intelligence, we use the RULER program and give students guidance and space to process what they’re feeling. We provide our students with the tools and skills to learn to recognize, understand, label, express, and regulate their emotions and behaviors.
Counseling Support
All Bright Star students, from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade, have a counselor who knows them, their dreams, and their needs so that we can meet them.
At VAES, we have a low student-to-counselor ratio so all students have an advocate who can champion their success. Strong relationships matter here.
Restorative Practices
At VAES, all staff use restorative justice practices in the classroom as well as on the playground as an effective alternative to punitive responses to wrongdoing.
Restorative practices bring people together in a safe and respectful space to promote dialogue, accountability, and a stronger sense of community.
“We start every single one of our days with our morning meeting, which is my favorite part about the day, because it's where I really get to talk to the students about their feelings and how they're doing as people. We talk to them about who they are and what they want to be.”