Reeds Spring School creating 'sense of safety and school family' with help of Silver Dollar City Foundation

Behavior is one of the biggest challenges educators and parents face these days, but one local school isn’t looking to increase punishment to control behavior, rather they are taking a comprehensive approach to the issue.

With the help of a grant from Silver Dollar City Foundation, Reeds Spring Primary School is in the process of implementing Conscious Discipline. Conscious Discipline an emotional intelligence program that helps children and adults respond thoughtfully to conflict and life situations rather than react impulsively.

“We are teaching at a time when the social-emotional needs of children are a top priority,” explains Reeds Spring Primary School Principal Adria Simkins. “Children have to have basic needs like a sense of safety and connection met first before great learning can take place.”

Simkins said the program emphasizes building safety, connection, and problem-solving skills among students, fostering a positive learning environment. For teachers, it provides practical strategies to manage classroom behavior and respond to students' emotional needs effectively.

For the third year, the school has received a Hope Grant from Silver Dollar City Foundation to support Conscious Discipline training, teacher resources, and coaching. Since the program began, the foundation has awarded the school $42,700 to support the work.

“Much of our work this far has been focused on learning about the different brain states, the impact of trauma and strategies for working with students from trauma backgrounds,” Simkins said. “We have also focused our learning on implementing practices and strategies within our classrooms that create the sense of safety and school family.”

Simkins said a lot of what educators are learning is about themselves, and how to regulate their own emotions and brain state. She explained that a child will never be at a higher brain state than an adult, so it is vitally important that adults learn to self-regulate, as well.

“The main result I have seen with Conscious Discipline is that educators are more aware and willing to try new strategies,” she said.

Grant funding this year provides funding for a Conscious Discipline trainer to be in Reeds Spring two times this school year for all-day training with staff and then for a parent event. The funding will also provide for additional training and materials.

“Utilizing the Hope Grant to continue this work potentially can result in lowering teacher burnout, enhanced learning environments, children who are learning to identify and self-regulate their emotions, and parents who feel confident in supporting their children,” Simkins said.