This list is short, sweet, and most importantly, actionable. Pick at least one and begin implementing this week. Your parents and community will see the difference as you roll out meaningful changes to enhance the student experience.

1. Goal-setting – Have students create short and long-term goals. Have them create an action plan that leads to them accomplishing those goals. For maximum benefit, have them check in one-on-one with a teacher or school counselor to refine their goals and receive feedback on their action plan.
2. Obtain Baseline Data – You measure student success in reading and math. How often do you intentionally gain data on SEL and mental health? Take a quick survey at your school, or do one better and bring in the world’s leader in Mind Health research to obtain data for your school here! A strong foundation of data will guide you in the most effective interventions available.
3. Increase your face time – How often does your school leadership interact directly with students? Are they in the hallways during transitions? Are they doing paperwork before/after school? Do they have rolling carts to work in hallways instead of offices? Look for ways to bring your leadership to where your students are to increase a sense of belonging and a stronger school culture.
4. Professional Development on Emotional Intelligence – Think about the last ten trainings you had at your school. How many were on policy? Subject-area specific? Pedagogical methods? When was the last training on Mind Health? This may be the perfect time to roll out a training on methods to address the largest barriers to student success.
5. Revisit Technology Policies – How often are students on their phones in class or during transitions? Most schools report issues or difficulties due to excessive phone use or video games during school time. Revisit your policy with your stakeholders ASAP. What can be changed? Where can you limit usage? Fewer time spent on tech leads to more time with engaged learners.
6. Create Peer Mentor Groups – Or if you already have this setup, create more time, space, and engagement for it. Peer mentoring is a powerful tool at your disposal to improve the SEL of your school and the perceptions students have about belonging.
7. Sleep and Nutrition Workshops – Life outside of school impacts life inside of school. Implementing a sleep and/or nutrition workshop can be a difference maker in areas that schools typically do not reach. 
8. Expand Club & Extracurricular Participation – Clubs, sports, and extracurriculars make a real difference in grades and school engagement. Students who are involved feel a connection to the school and a desire to represent that school with their academics. Expand your offerings and create intentional spaces for clubs to recruit and demonstrate the value of joining.
9. Bring in Community Speakers – School feels bigger when the community is involved. Connecting students to each other is a huge step towards better mental health and belonging. Connecting them to leaders in the community takes that a step further and gives them a culture of belonging that goes beyond the classroom.
10. Instill Purpose – Have your elementary students toured your middle school campus? High School? Are colleges coming into your high school to build excitement? Build purpose into your school by showing students what they are building towards. The desire to grow and accomplish at a higher level should be a part of your successful school culture.