{"id":81368,"date":"2025-08-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casel.org\/?post_type=blogposts&#038;p=81368"},"modified":"2025-08-01T14:58:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T19:58:00","slug":"rising-from-the-ashes-how-sel-transformed-our-school-after-a-crisis-of-a-school-fire","status":"publish","type":"blogposts","link":"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/rising-from-the-ashes-how-sel-transformed-our-school-after-a-crisis-of-a-school-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising From the Ashes: How SEL Transformed Our School After a Crisis of a School Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key-points\"><strong>Key Points<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When a school was struck by fire, its principal turned to SEL to move beyond survival to healing and long-term thriving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bringing SEL to her school brought so much more than recovery from a traumatic event; it rebuilt the culture and practices of the school.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Based on her experience, she shares 3 actionable strategies for schoolwide SEL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Some moments split your life into before and after. For me, that moment was November 10, 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the principal of Marysville K-8 School in Portland, Oregon, I started the day like any other\u2014until the fire alarm sounded. Within minutes, thick smoke filled the halls. Flames blocked exits. The building was on fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Panic set in, but our staff acted with incredible bravery. Teachers guided students through smoke-filled corridors. Staff ran back inside to check for missing children. Once we reunited outside and confirmed everyone was safe, relief swept over me. We had survived. But surviving was only the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"up-from-the-ashes-with-sel\"><strong>Up From the Ashes With SEL<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>The fire devastated our building. For over three years, we operated out of a former, long-vacant school five miles away. The relocation was tough\u2014but it offered us something rare: a reset. That reset led us to social and emotional learning (SEL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, we assumed a student-centered SEL program would be enough. But we quickly realized real healing would take more than classroom lessons. It would require a transformation\u2014from how we led to how we lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As I grew personally through mindfulness, therapy, and reflection, my leadership began to shift. We wove SEL into everything: staff meetings, classroom routines, even our transitions. We chose community over curriculum, relationships before rigor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Office referrals dropped by 75 percent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Suspensions were nearly cut in half.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Teacher retention improved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We became the highest performing Title I school in our district in math and reading.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Our story was even featured in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QYRtY6fQGrQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a local news segment<\/a>, showing how SEL and mindfulness helped us rise from the ashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why SEL Matters Now More Than Ever<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most schools won\u2019t face a literal fire. But many are burning in other ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Educator burnout is at an all-time high. Student behavior challenges are rising. The pandemic didn\u2019t just disrupt learning\u2014it exposed deep cracks in how schools function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SEL isn\u2019t a nice-to-have\u2014it\u2019s a must-have<\/strong>. But it can&#8217;t be a single lesson or a weeklong initiative. SEL must become the <strong>fabric<\/strong> of the school\u2014woven into routines, relationships, and leadership decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-actionable-strategies-for-schoolwide-sel\"><strong>3 Actionable Strategies for Schoolwide SEL<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Most educators believe in SEL. But I often hear the same question: <strong>&#8220;Where do we start?&#8221; <\/strong>Here are three strategies we utilized at Marysville to build a strong, sustainable SEL foundation\u2014for both students and the adults who serve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Start With the Adults<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The emotional climate of a school is shaped by its adults. If we want students to develop empathy and resilience, educators need to model those skills. But that\u2019s nearly impossible if teachers are overwhelmed and unsupported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Systemic support matters. At Marysville, we carved out time for mindfulness, open conversation, and connection. We did breathwork before PLCs, gratitude circles after hard days, and hallway check-ins that became moments of care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When staff felt supported, everything shifted. The culture moved from compliance to connection. People didn\u2019t just show up\u2014they showed up <strong>well<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Anchor SEL in Weekly and Daily Practice<br><\/strong>Just as a thriving ecosystem depends on regular nourishment, so does a healthy school culture. Setting aside a consistent weekly time\u201430 to 45 minutes\u2014for dedicated SEL isn\u2019t a luxury; it\u2019s a foundational practice.<em> Just like we schedule time for math and reading, we must schedule time for SEL.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This weekly space can be used to deliver your core student SEL curriculum, explore mindfulness, build connection through circles, or reflect on current challenges as a community. When done well, this dedicated time becomes the heart of your week\u2014a reset, a recharge, and a reminder of what matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Build an Ecosystem of Care<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating a thriving SEL culture isn\u2019t about checking off a curriculum box\u2014it\u2019s about cultivating an entire ecosystem of care. That means embedding SEL into every layer of the school community, from classroom routines to leadership decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This includes how we welcome families into the process as care doesn&#8217;t stop at the school door. It also means tending to the physical and sensory environments where learning happens. We painted calming colors, brought in natural elements, and even chose furniture that invited comfort. This attention to environment wasn\u2019t fluff\u2014it was foundational. Because when a space feels good, people show up differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-reflection\"><strong>Final Reflection<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>We definitely didn\u2019t ask for our school to burn down. But in the ashes, we found opportunity. The opportunity to rebuild not just with brick and mortar, but with heart and humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building this kind of ecosystem takes time, but it starts with one intentional choice at a time. <em>Think climate, not curriculum. Think community, not compliance.<\/em> That\u2019s how we grow a school where everyone can thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The views in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.<\/em><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Lana Penley, M.Ed.,<\/em><\/strong><em> is a former principal, co-founder of her company Unlocking SEL, and a passionate champion of social and emotional learning. A recognized thought leader in the field of SEL implementation, Penley led a schoolwide transformation that became a model for how intentional SEL practices can drive lasting change. She is the author of <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Unlocking-SEL-Transform-Emotional-Learning-ebook\/dp\/B0D4CCYT9T\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Unlocking SEL: The 5 Keys to Transform Your School Through Social and Emotional Learning<\/a><em>, which debuted as the #1 New Release on Amazon in both <strong>Classroom Management<\/strong> and <strong>Educational Psychology<\/strong>. When she\u2019s not supporting schools, you can find her on the pickleball court, embracing fun and connection wherever she goes.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Posts:<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/heal-a-school-how-a-lifetime-in-education-became-a-global-mentorship-journey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Heal a School: How a Lifetime in Education Became a Global Mentorship Journey<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/from-vision-to-reality-schoolwide-sel-at-a-california-elementary-school\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">From Vision to Reality: Schoolwide SEL at a California Elementary School<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/community-schools-an-idea-whose-time-has-come\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Community Schools: An Idea Whose Time Has Come<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Write for Us<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you interested in writing for CASEL\u2019s blog, <em>Constellations<\/em>? <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1zSZFveKA8xsmlCADpfDP8t-y9emN0qswHQh1MnfmqBI\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more<\/a> about what we\u2019re looking for and how to pitch your idea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Points Back to top Some moments split your life into before and after. For me, that moment was November 10, 2009. As the principal of Marysville K-8 School in Portland, Oregon, I started the day like any other\u2014until the fire alarm sounded. Within minutes, thick smoke filled the halls. Flames blocked exits. The building [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":81370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","theme":[199],"class_list":["post-81368","blogposts","type-blogposts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","theme-spotlights"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts\/81368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blogposts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81368"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/theme?post=81368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}