NORTH SALT LAKE—Children at Foxboro Elementary are learning the skills to cope with the stress of the world around them. It’s a resiliency program that started about five years ago. In recognition of their efforts, the school received the 2023 Resilience You Education Tribute Award for Outstanding Elementary in Utah.

“Each year during resiliency month the award is given to an elementary school, a junior high and high school for advocating these skills in students,” said Foxboro Principal Chris Whitaker.

“It’s a pretty focused program to help kids self regulate. We have zones of regulation so they can understand what they’re feeling, like a happy zone, worried zone, sad zone, etc.”

What’s going on in their family or community can affect them, she said. “It helps kids regulate their emotions and settles them so they can learn.”

It helps them to understand that hard things are happening all over, said Whitaker. “They have the power to keep their mind and body calm and focused regardless of what’s happening around them.”

Whitaker said the program started when she was first coming to Foxboro five years ago. “The school psychologist met with me and felt like this is something students needed. It seemed and felt important. We’d seen some kids who were deregulated and weren’t able to focus. We wanted to help them so their minds and bodies were ready to learn.”

Foxboro has been using the Move this World curriculum as part of the program, she said. “We want them to know that they’re not alone. Everybody has big feelings and things happen to them. They may have challenges but they have the strength and tools they need so they can access learning.”

The school has a calming room, said Whitaker. “There’s one in each classroom. It’s a place where kids can take a break from school work or sometimes the classroom is overwhelming.”

They can sit there while they trace their hand and go up and down over their fingers, she said. “They just need a safe place to do it. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Teachers use the Move this World program once a week, she said. “It takes about five to seven minutes. We have a wonderful counselor who does activities that enhance and reinforce it.”

There are student success coaches, Whitaker said. “They’re trained paraprofessionals who work one-on-one with kids who just need a trusted adult they can talk to. They’re here just to help out with that.”

Davis Behavioral Health has a mindfulness program that teaches them the skills and tools to work through hard things. “Kids handle those things so much better than they have in the past,” she said.

Whitaker said they see carry over in different settings as well. “I have parents tell me their child reacted differently at a soccer game than before. We want to keep that reinforcement. I hope it will become part of our culture.”

Going forward Whitaker wants to get a few more teachers trained. “I’d like to hold courses and build on it so as kids get older and have additional stress we can keep working on that.”

Whitaker would also like to add more music to the curriculum. “I’d like to increase the use of music. Music reaches where words don’t. Kids can remember it in times of stress.”