Angela Hargrave

“MSCS will leverage the expertise of its new SEL Advisors and expand use of the District's newly adopted SEL curriculum to provide afterschool SEL training and services two times per week in a historic Memphis neighborhood rocked by youth violence during the pandemic. Recently an on-campus shooting by a student at one neighborhood K-8 school mobilized neighborhood leaders and parents to seek community-based solutions. The shooting, which began as a fight between students, is part of a trend among middle schoolers at the school, where there have been 8.7 fight discipline incidents per 100 students so far this school year. At the high school where many graduates of the K-8 school attend, there have been 12.5 fight discipline incidents per 100 students so far this year. Through the proposed project, SEL Advisors will work with community leaders and parents and staff at neighborhood schools to design a K-12 afterschool program that takes advantage of extension activities built into the adopted SEL curriculum. Selected activities will focus on reducing fighting and violent incidents. Lessons and trainings will explicitly address topics such as aspects of the choice theory, conflict resolution, restorative practices, mediation, mindfulness, and restorative practices. Afterschool activities will include guest speakers and field experiences. Students with formal and informal leadership roles within the schools will be selected for the year-long program and will become RESTORE Ambassadors within their school communities. Because the project builds on existing District investments, MSCS will be able to quickly scale up project successes.”