This fall, Claire Eastham joined Telluride Mountain School as the first full-time, in-house school counselor. Most recently, at Kent Denver School, Claire has over a decade of experience developing and teaching Social Emotional Learning programs in independent schools and providing mental health services to students.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is as much a practice as a philosophy, naturally embedded in daily interactions, routines, and activities. TMS is adding intentional and mission-driven SEL programming to be responsive to the ever-changing needs of our students and to ensure students have the knowledge and skills to develop greater self and social awareness, manage their emotions, establish healthy relationships, and make responsible choices.
TMS recognizes that SEL programming is an essential part of education and human development and is critical for ensuring that all our students feel safe and connected and belong.
Our new programming includes homeroom lessons to build emotional vocabulary and regulation skills, sex education, and high school Mental Health First Aid training. We have started to offer regularly scheduled SEL coffee talks to provide parent education and conversation around specific topics related to child and adolescent development. On-going program development will include aligning with an external curriculum and continuing to build and offer robust health education classes. We invite you to join us this year for SEL coffee talks as they become available.