Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
To provide comprehensive wrap-around systems of support to develop every child's
academic and social and emotional development.
What is SEL?
Social and Emotional Learning, or SEL is the process through which all young people
and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy
identities, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show
empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make
responsible and caring decisions.
~As defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
Restorative Practices Texas Definition:
Marilyn Armour, Ph.D., defines restorative discipline as a relational approach to building school climate and addressing student behavior. The approach fosters belonging over exclusion, social engagement over control, and meaningful accountability over punishment.
The SWISD Restorative Practices Team serves selected secondary campuses through a variety of relationship-building and accountability practices to serve our students, parent, and overall school community.
Bullying
Bullying is unwanted harassment or aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
To report an instance of bullying please use this link:
See Something, Say Something
SW Cares is a multi-faceted, wrap-around support system for students, staff, and families in the Southwest community. It includes:
Crisis Prevention & Response
Trauma & Grief Informed Practices
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Mental & Behavioral Health
Mental Health Awareness & Community Partnerships
Social and Emotional Learning
Family Engagement
Mission
We will work together to identify the unique needs of all individuals and determine and apply the best possible interventions and support from various internal and external resources and programs. We will foster a school community that cares for and values others and nurtures relationships.
Vision
To be a district that effectively and comprehensively ensures the safety and social-emotional well-being of all school community members through equitable, compassionate, and strategic coordination of services designed to remove barriers to academic, professional, and personal success.
Campus SW Cares team members may include:
- School Administrators
- School Counselors
- Social Workers
- Nurses
- Teachers
- Law Enforcement
- Licensed Specialists in School Psychology
Please contact your campus SW Cares team member for support and interventions. If your student or a family member is in crisis, please contact 911 immediately.
Mary Lou Hernandez
Director of Pupil Services
Mary Lou Hernandez has nearly 25 years of service in education, all of which have been served at Southwest ISD. Throughout her career, she has held various roles at both the campus and district levels, including School Psychologist, Dyslexia Evaluation Specialist, 504 Coordinator, Pupil Services Coordinator, and Director of Social and Emotional Learning. Ms. Hernandez has had the honor of working with children of all levels and stages of development. In addition, she is a champion for restorative practices to help support the whole child, schools, and the district. Ms. Hernandez has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Mary’s University and a Master of Science from Our Lady of the Lake University. Her years of experience, love for children, and desire to support Southwest families have helped her to find her true passion in creating lasting relationships between schools, families, and the community.