Character Development

Helping Students Grow Beyond Academics

At Northeast Elementary, we believe student success includes more than academic achievement. We intentionally support students in developing the social, emotional and interpersonal skills they need to understand themselves, build healthy relationships, navigate challenges and contribute positively to their communities.

Character development is woven throughout the Northeast experience, helping students grow as learners, classmates and individuals.

Our Six Core Skills

Northeast uses Wayfinder to support character development and social-emotional learning across our school.

Through this work, students develop six core skills:

• Self-Awareness: Understanding their emotions, strengths, values and needs
• Adaptability: Responding to challenges, change and new situations with flexibility
• Empathy: Understanding and considering the feelings and perspectives of others
• Collaboration: Working effectively with others toward shared goals
• Agency: Recognizing their ability to make choices, take action and influence their own growth
• Purpose: Connecting their interests, values and actions to something meaningful

These skills are reinforced throughout the school day and help students develop confidence, strengthen relationships and become thoughtful members of their community.

Learn more about Wayfinder

Character Development in Action

Character development isn't limited to a single lesson or program. Students have opportunities throughout their day to practice skills such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, reflection and responsible decision-making.

Teachers help students apply these skills in the classroom, with peers and when navigating challenges. The goal is to give students tools they can continue to use both in and beyond school.

Animal-Assisted Intervention

As one part of our approach to student well-being, Northeast may use Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) to support students' social and emotional needs.

AAI is a goal-directed intervention in which a trained animal and handler work alongside a qualified professional to support specific student needs. At Northeast, this may include visits from a certified therapy dog team for individual or small-group activities focused on social-emotional wellness, humane education or other targeted supports.

Participation and interaction with a therapy dog is always voluntary.

Therapy dog teams participating in the program receive specialized training and certification and carry appropriate liability insurance. Animal-Assisted Intervention is used as one of several research-informed approaches available to support the needs of Northeast students and staff.