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The Power of Collaboration: Tales From the SEL Fellows Academy

March 19, 2025
CASEL
Image of the CASEL SEL Fellows Academy logo at the center with arrows pointing out to the images from the blog posts included in this round-up.

At CASEL, we value the importance of collaboration—it’s even in our name! That’s why we offer the SEL Fellows Academy, a unique experience that brings together leaders from school districts and regional offices of education from across the country to strengthen their SEL expertise. Each year, these leaders gather virtually for 10 months to deepen their work, learn from experts, share insights, and build a community of learning and support that lasts beyond each cohort.

And you can join us!  Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are open through April 1, 2025!. To learn more about the SEL Fellows Academy and the kind of work it has inspired, check out these stories from past Fellows. We hope they spark your interest in deepening your knowledge and help inspire your next big endeavor to bring SEL to students nationwide!

Group of children gathered in front of a school

From Vision to Reality: Schoolwide SEL at a California Elementary School
Learn how a group of California-based SEL Fellows joined CASEL staff to visit an elementary school in Elk Grove, California, to learn more about how they integrate social and emotional learning (SEL) into education.


SEL Through Art: The ‘Get to Know Me’ Project
A professional learning specialist and SEL Fellows alum describes an art project designed to open the doors to connection, belonging, innovation, and love for all humanity, nurturing a sense of shared community and a learning space to help young people truly understand themselves and others.


A group of CASEL staff and SEL Fellows alums at the SEL Exchange

Here’s the Secret Ingredient to Sustaining SEL
A leader of CASEL’s SEL Fellows Academy shares the community-building strategies used to support collaboration and communication.


Children on a playground with one boy smiling at the camera

A Relationship-Fueled Learning Community: Teachers and Students in California Share the Impact of SEL
An SEL Fellows alum welcomes CASEL to Magnolia Science Academy in Santa Ana, California, to hear from teachers, students, and administrators about how SEL is implemented in the school.


Photo of an "Emotions Word Wall" displaying students work about emotions.

One District’s Journey: Starting SEL From the Ground Up
“If you’re a small district or a single school looking to start this work or move it forward, be willing to take chances and experiment,” says one SEL Fellows Academy alum who shares the story of how she helped bring SEL to her school and then her entire district.


An abstract design including colorful swirls, corkscrews, and circles.

The Key to Efficacy: Don’t Forget to Look for the Successes 
An SEL Fellows Academy alum shares a deeply impactful meeting with her district’s SEL coach that came out of an unexpected question: “What have you noticed about what’s going well in the classroom?”

The views in these blogs are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.

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