From the
Committee for Children:

Social-emotional learning (SEL)
is the process
of developing self-awareness,
self-control, and interpersonal skills
that are vital for
school, work, and life success.

People with strong
social-emotional skills
are better able to cope with
everyday challenges
and benefit
academically, professionally,
and socially.
From effective problem-solving
to self-discipline,
from impulse control
to emotion management
and more, SEL provides a
foundation for
positive, long-term effects on
kids, adults, and communities.

Children thrive.

Schools win.

Workplaces benefit.

Society strengthens.

All due to social-emotional learning.

Washington School Principals’ Education Foundation’s mission is the development, implementation, and reinforcement of social-emotional learning for students, PreK-16 in safe, productive, and engaging settings.

The Association of Washington School Principals set up WSPEF to further the development of children’s education long before social-emotional learning (SEL) became a term. Since 1956, one component, the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) has been developing and empowering students to lead: in their schools, within their groups, and in their communities. Our Cispus Learning Center has been using the outdoors to work with elementary students from around the state in providing for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education with SEL opportunities through outdoor schools and other programs on our campus. Further, Cispus is home to the Association of Washington Student Leaders, whose mission is to provide development opportunities for all students to realize their leadership potential.

Our work within WSPEF is grounded in the belief that a well-rounded education must include SEL for the whole child, all grades, all levels, to increase their academic and social success, decrease emotional distress, and promote positive behaviors. 

We believe that we accomplish that through:

• Application to real life

• Integration it into everything we provide and offer

• Expansion of students' voice

• Development of cultural competency

We accomplish these in our course facilitations on our Cispus campus as well as mobile challenge course programs, through our summer development programs (18 plus university coursework for high schoolers), our site programs and custom workshops, and in our student voice & advocacy committees.

Our Board of Directors are part of the Association of Washington School Principals.

Our website is located here: Board Information