Social and Emotional Learning and Wellness

Social-emotional learning and physical wellness are part of every Winchester student’s experience and required elements of our program. By grade level, students take year-long seminars designed around their developmental needs. 

9th-grade students learn to navigate their first year in high school. Through readings, videos, activities, guest speakers, and discussions, 9th graders build organizational, time management, study, and research skills to support their academic success. They also develop critical social and emotional competencies through seminars on stress, coping, healthy relationships, well-being, and chemical and alcohol dependency. 

The 10th-grade seminar helps students develop healthy adolescent identities, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive friendships, and make responsible and caring choices for themselves and others. Visiting experts from the TALK program educate students on matters of sexual health and relationships. Students also dive more deeply into conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion, often connecting classroom content to their lived experiences. Additional topics support students’ growing independence. Seminars for 10th graders include financial literacy, critical engagement with social media, substance use and abuse, and an introduction to the college counseling process. 

The 11th and 12th-grade seminars invite students to deepen and extend their social-emotional skills, particularly the tools for responsible decision-making and intercultural competency. These seminars also support our College Counseling program. We invite you to visit the College Counseling section of this website for more information about how we guide students through the college process at WT.