Spaulding Academy & Family Services Incorporates Choose Love Curriculum
September 17, 2020Northfield, NH – Spaulding Academy & Family Services (formerly Spaulding Youth Center) has incorporated the Choose Love Movement curriculum across its Northfield campus. This social and emotional learning (SEL) program promotes the intentional change of angry thoughts into ones of love and compassion. The process aims to deliver life skills that lead to happiness and healthy relationships.
The Choose Love Movement was inspired by six-year-old Jesse Lewis, a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting who saved nine of his classmates. His mother, Scarlett Lewis, began this initiative in 2013 to foster thoughtful responses to daily challenges. The Choose Love Formula™ is Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion in Action = Choosing Love. The program is no cost to schools, and is applicable to children and adults alike. To date, two million people across 95 countries – including 3,830 schools – have participated in the Choose Love Movement.
Spaulding Academy & Family Services kicked off the program in July. Each of the four elements within the Choose Love Formula has an associated eight-week curriculum. Spaulding Academy students have already completed the eight-week Courage unit and are now focused on the Gratitude module (Forgiveness and Compassion in Action will follow). The program is structured by grade level and flexibly designed, allowing for instructors to accommodate the various needs of students within Spaulding Academy’s special education, residential, and behavioral health departments.
The Choose Love Movement emphasizes open discussions, reinforcement through activities, and celebrating successes, and the organization is dedicated to incorporating the SEL program campus wide. While implementation may differ across the Spaulding Academy & Family Services campus, all children grades K-12 work toward an end goal. Beyond campus, families receive support to integrate the practices into their home lives when their child attends Spaulding Academy or receives community based services through Spaulding Family Services.
“The Choose Love Movement is a powerful character education program that promotes emotional management through positive reinforcement,” explained Pat Seaward-Salvati, Admissions Director, Spaulding Academy & Family Services. “It nurtures intentional thoughtfulness and emotional intelligence, and will surely prove impactful to our students while they’re on campus – and throughout their lives.”
For more information about the Choose Love Movement, please visit chooselovemovement.org.
About Spaulding Academy & Family Services
Spaulding Academy & Family Services is a leading provider of educational, residential, therapeutic and community based programs and services for families, and children and youth with neurological, emotional, behavioral, learning or developmental challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorder and those who have experienced significant trauma, abuse or neglect. Established in 1871, Spaulding Academy & Family Services is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was formerly known as Spaulding Youth Center since 1958. Our scenic hilltop campus is located on over 500 acres in Northfield, NH and welcomes boys and girls from ages 4 to 21 from around the state of New Hampshire and beyond. In addition to programs provided on our Northfield campus, Spaulding’s community based programs include foster family licensing, Individual Service Option (ISO) foster care, ISO in-home services, child health support services, and more for children ages 0 to 20 and their family. For information about Spaulding Academy & Family Services, visit www.SpauldingServices.org.
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