New Partnership Promotes Social-Emotional Learning Tools to Hispanic-Serving School Districts

USA - English

• USA - English

NASHVILLE, Tenn. & SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Love In A Big World and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) have announced a new partnership designed to increase access to social-emotional learning tools in Hispanic-Serving School Districts (HSSDs). HSSDs are defined as K-12 districts whose total enrollment is at least 25 percent Hispanic, and who are affiliate members of HACU. Through this collaboration, HSSDs will regularly receive news and information about the Love In A Big World social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum and will have a dedicated contact to help them acquire resources and materials to support teachers in their efforts to foster students' social and emotional competencies.

"We believe social-emotional learning is an essential part of a well-rounded education, a key contributor to students' healthy growth and development, and an important driver of equitable outcomes for all learners," said Tamara Fyke, creator of Love In A Big World. "We're honored to partner with HACU to bring Love In A Big World's curriculum resources to Hispanic-Serving School Districts throughout the U.S., ensuring that teachers and students in these 19 districts have access to the supportive SEL tools they deserve."

HACU is committed to exploring and facilitating new approaches to success for Hispanics in higher education and the HSSD affiliation was started in order to address the many challenges facing both higher education and K-12 in recruiting, retaining, and graduating Hispanic students. HACU-member universities collaborate with HSSDs in an effort to frame, develop and carry out new and innovative initiatives that benefit their respective student populations. This new collaboration to bring Love In A Big World's research-based and practical SEL curriculum to HSSDs will support well-rounded educational success for students in these districts.

"Social-emotional learning curriculums such as Love In A Big World are effective educational interventions that enhance students' social and emotional skills, classroom behavior and school attachment, and can positively impact academic proficiency," said Jeanette Morales, Director for PK-12 Initiatives.

The Love In A Big World curriculum defines the structure, scope, and sequence of 24 essential character traits and provides meaningful activities that can be completed in as little as 15 to 30 minutes per day, but also allows teachers to spend more time if required by students' needs. Each lesson and activity is designed to fit organically into the school's current academic schedule, including morning meetings, advisory periods, after-school programs, and during class time. All content is age- and grade-level-appropriate, and the kits are currently customized for grades K-2, grades 3-5, and grades 6-8.

In this partnership, HACU will greatly increase the amount of information HSSD leaders receive about these high-quality SEL programs. Love In A Big World information will be shared through HACU's K-12 resource listings and e-newsletters, as well as during HACU conferences and events. Each of these elements will make it simpler for district leaders to access, acquire, and implement instructional resources to benefit educators and students by promoting a whole child education, providing explicit SEL content in the classroom, helping students build well-rounded success skills, and fostering a positive school and classroom climate.

To learn more about this collaboration between Love In A Big World and HACU, visit https://www.loveinabigworld.org/love-in-a-big-world-and-hacu. Hispanic-Serving School District leaders can contact Jeanette Morales, Director for PK-12 Initiatives at [email protected] to learn more about this partnership and how to work with HACU to implement Love In A Big World resources. For pricing information and to learn how to bring Love In A Big World to your district or organization, contact Ted Robinson, National Sales Manager, at 800-843-4952 or [email protected].

About Love In A Big World
Love In A Big World equips K-8 educators with a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that is both research-based and practical, along with professional development, additional classroom materials, and the supporting resources necessary to empower students to be socially competent, emotionally healthy problem-solvers who discover and maintain a sense of purpose and make a positive difference in the world. Learn about Love In A Big World's products and resources, including the comprehensive 24-Session Kits, by visiting http://www.loveinabigworld.org.

About the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is a national and international association of higher education institutions based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 1986 with a founding membership of 18 institutions, HACU now represents more than 470 colleges and universities that collectively enroll 2/3 of the 3 million Hispanics in higher education and enroll 6 million students altogether. HACU manages numerous college-level and pre-collegiate initiatives, including scholarship programs, research projects, technology training and workforce development initiatives. Learn more at https://www.hacu.net.

SOURCE Love In A Big World