Renee Arrowood, School Pyschologist
Renee Arrowood cares deeply about her students. As an elementary school psychologist in District 196 for 15 years, she is highly invested in the social and emotional development of the kids who come across her path.
As a result, Renee wrote and received a grant from the Eastview Community Foundation to create a program entitled “Healthy Minds = Student Success.” She was able to purchase the Second Step Curriculum, Hoberman Spheres, and Chimes for each interested teacher. These tools help students increase their level of success.
“In this role as a school psychologist, I’ve always done social/emotional skill development with kids,” said Arrowood. She gets to go into the classroom rather than pulling kids out and all students get to benefit. Arrowood, along with 2 other colleagues, a social worker and special education teacher, go into a total of 17 classrooms and work with students using the Second Step curriculum. The program focuses on skills to help the students with stress reduction and self-regulation using breathing techniques with the Hoberman spheres and the chimes. These tools help to bring kids back into focus during transitions and increase their focus and attention. “A lot of teachers using it are seeing a difference from the beginning of the year until now. Classrooms seem calmer,” Arrowood said.
She added that self-regulation, stress reduction, and emotional regulation all contribute to academic success and improved social and emotional wellbeing.
To EVCF she says: “Thank you so much! We’re just benefitting from it so much – all of our kids here. We are just so thankful! Thank you again!”