At grades K–5, the Morning Circle takes place daily, for about 15-20 minutes, and consists of a greeting, brief news and announcements, and an activity that brings forward thinking around the social development focus for the week. Morning Circles are designed to offer a routine to start the day and help students transition to their learning community, build relationships, and practice social skills. Activities and discussions that are part of the Morning Circle at grades 2–5 often build an understanding of the social development focus that will be explored more deeply during the weekly Class Meeting.
Advisory Circles are part of the weekly Advisory for grades 6–8. They are scheduled for 20 minutes and consist of a greeting and an activity that brings forward thinking around the social development focus for the week. Advisory circles support students as they transition to the learning community and build relationships to create a caring community within the school for the students. Advisory circles are typically held on Monday and Tuesday of the weekly Advisory design. Activities and discussions that are part of the Advisory Circle at grades 6-8 often build understanding of the social development focus that will be explored more deeply during the weekly Class Meeting.
Class Meetings are held weekly in grades 2–8. Grades 2–5 hold these near the end of the week for 20-25 minutes. Grades 6–8 Class Meetings are built into their daily Advisory schedule.
Class meetings are whole-class discussions in which the students make decisions about their classroom, build relationships, and talk about problems affecting their class. These meetings are central to cultivating students’ social, emotional, and ethical development within the Caring School Community program. Student voice and autonomy are at the heart of class meetings as students discuss a topic related to the social development focus of the week, consider plans of action to address concerns, and deepen their relationships with their classmates. Class meetings develop students’ sense of agency as they discuss their values, consider how their practices support their identity, and how their actions impact others.