Laurel Elementary showcases new behavioral health curriculum

LAUREL, Del. – Governor John Carney paid a visit to the Laurel School District on Thursday to see how they’re putting Opportunity Funding to use.

The district highlighted their new behavioral health coordinator at Laurel Elementary, the second largest elementary school in Delaware. The teacher, Jessica Nowacki, was hired in August. She’s tasked with teaching students how to understand their emotions and communicate what they’re feeling. She also educates students about personal space and what’s considered appropriate. We’re told there’s already been a noticeable difference in the school climate.

“We have a lot of teachers that deal with a lot of intense behaviors inside the classroom so usually when they are sent down to my office it’s more about recognizing and identifying their feelings and being able to put a label on it and then identifying appropriate coping skills,” says Jessica Nowacki, the behavioral health coordinator.

The state’s Opportunity Funding has also allowed the district to hire reading specialists, a new pre-k teacher at North Laurel Early Learning Academy and a new English learner teacher at Laurel Elementary.