How Districts are Supporting SEL Needs Right Now

Episode 34 of the Opportunity Thrives podcast, hosted by Olamide banky, titled "How Districts are Supporting SEL Needs Right Now " was published on February 22, 2021 and runs 31 minutes.

February 22, 2021 ·31m · Opportunity Thrives

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

In this episode, we reconnect with Debra Giacolone, the Director of Student Services for Sarasota County School District in Sarasota, Florida, and Dr. Crystal Ladwig the Director of Research and Development for Suite360, a social-emotional learning provider that partners with districts across the country. When Jean Sharp, Chief Academic Officer at Apex Learning, last spoke with Debra and Crystal in an Opportunity Thrives episode last fall, they raised concerns about the health and well-being of our students, particularly in these times of lockdowns and school closure. We revisit this conversation and they share the unfortunate reality that there has been a significant rise in mental health concerns as students grapple with isolation, anxiety, depression, and trauma.  We discuss opportunities to support students despite these challenges, how Sarasota County is addressing student and educator wellbeing, and what Crystal is seeing with other districts across the country. Regardless of the challenges, they share a message of hope for the future and practical guidance other district leaders should consider as they navigate how to best support the social and emotional needs of our students and educators.   

Episode Description

In this episode, we reconnect with Debra Giacolone, the Director of Student Services for Sarasota County School District in Sarasota, Florida, and Dr. Crystal Ladwig the Director of Research and Development for Suite360, a social-emotional learning provider that partners with districts across the country.

When Jean Sharp, Chief Academic Officer at Apex Learning, last spoke with Debra and Crystal in an Opportunity Thrives episode last fall, they raised concerns about the health and well-being of our students, particularly in these times of lockdowns and school closure. We revisit this conversation and they share the unfortunate reality that there has been a significant rise in mental health concerns as students grapple with isolation, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

We discuss opportunities to support students despite these challenges, how Sarasota County is addressing student and educator wellbeing, and what Crystal is seeing with other districts across the country. Regardless of the challenges, they share a message of hope for the future and practical guidance other district leaders should consider as they navigate how to best support the social and emotional needs of our students and educators.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Why I don’t care about $100k/month...

Mar 20, 2026 ·12m

What if your dreams just take time?

Mar 18, 2026 ·15m

How I’m solving the Struggle of being both Father and Founder

Mar 16, 2026 ·12m

I stopped creating for months, here’s what I learned

Mar 16, 2026 ·11m

I Lost My Voice for 3 Weeks. Here’s What Still Grew.

Mar 16, 2026 ·9m

Episode 12 - Buying Time: Delegation, Automation, & Advisor Leverage

Feb 19, 2026 ·7m

Similar Podcasts

The Jowi Witt Show - Content Marketing for Founders Jowi Witt I help ambitious one-person businesses, coaches, consultants, and creators turn their Personal Brand into a Personal Ecosystem.Your Personal Ecosystem is the system that takes you from just being known → to building a business that thrives with:📈 Offers • 🪴 Leads • 💬 Sales • ⚙️ SystemsOver the past years, I’ve created 60+ products, written 500+ articles, filmed 400+ videos, published 200+ newsletters, and worked with 20+ clients, all centered on helping solopreneurs grow without burning out.On this channel, you’ll find:- Strategies to build your Personal Ecosystem- Lessons from 10k+ posts and content experiments- Stories on balancing business growth with being present offline- Practical systems for Offers, Leads, Sales, and Delivery👉 Start here: What’s your Solopreneur Score?Take the free quiz to see where your biggest opportunity is: <a class="decorated-li The Re-Wirement Zone Randall Richard "The Re-Wirement Zone" is your go-to podcast for financial insights, business growth strategies, and value acceleration. Hosted by seasoned financial expert Randall Richard, it will dive deep into the latest trends and essential tips to help business owners navigate the complex world of finance. Whether you're looking to maximize your business's value, plan for a prosperous future, or gain a competitive edge, "The Re-Wirement Zone" delivers actionable advice and expert interviews. Join us as we explore innovative strategies, share success stories, and provide the tools you need to rewire your retirement mindset and achieve your business goals. Tune in every other week to stay ahead of the curve and transform your financial future with "The Re-Wirement Zone" – where knowledge meets opportunity and your business thrives. Tara Darlington - Thrive Podcast Tara Darlington No matter what phase of life you are in, Tara is here to help restore hope, joy, and purpose, so all women have the opportunity to thrive. Tara mentors women through the deeply profound life transitions unique to womanhood and motherhood with her insightful combination of psychology, yoga, healing, mentoring, and community connection.She has served thousands via the ripple effect of helping women in our community to regain their inner strength, reconnect with their inner knowing and to find passion and purpose in each and every life chapter. We all know that motherhood is the mother of all jobs, many extraordinary people thank their mothers above all else. - yet it's all too often cast as a bit of a "side gig" by our society. Tara's mission is to empower change in the world by helping women thrive in motherhood as conscious co-creators for their life, their family and their community. Tara has 6 children and lives in Sydney. RWJF RWJF The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, we are working to develop a Culture of Health rooted in equity that provides every individual with a fair and just opportunity to thrive, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. Through this collection of audio recordings, we seek to spark conversation and encourage a lively exchange of ideas about what it takes to advance our vision and how we might get there.

URL copied to clipboard!