A 24% Behavior Improvement: Riverside Elementary’s SEL Success Story
- Kikori Team
- Dec 8
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
⭐ The Riverside Vision
Riverside Elementary has always been a school filled with dedicated educators, strong leadership, and a clear commitment to student success. Their staff cared deeply about relationships, consistency, and creating a safe, joyful learning environment for every child.
They had already launched Morning Meetings. They had a strong PBIS framework and a desire to make it even more consistent across classrooms. Their goals were clear:
Build a schoolwide culture grounded in positivity and connection
Ensure every teacher had simple, ready-to-use tools
Help students develop the SEL skills that fuel both behavior and learning
Create routines that felt joyful — not one more thing to plan
What they needed wasn’t more work - they needed a program that fit their vision, honored teachers’ time, and made SEL easy, engaging, and sustainable.
That’s when they found Kikori.
What Changed When SEL Became Routine
Everything shifted the moment Riverside committed to one small, daily habit: a consistent 10-minute experiential SEL routine every morning.
Instead of worksheets or lectures, teachers used:
Hands-on activities that helped students connect
Reflection questions that built self-awareness
Structured sharing that created belonging
Quick circles that helped students reset before learning
With Kikori, teachers didn’t need to reinvent SEL — they simply opened the day’s activity and facilitated.
Within weeks, the building felt different.
The Behavior Data That Tells a Story
By mid-year, Riverside saw measurable, meaningful change:
✨ 24% improvement in positive student behavior
✨ Fewer peer conflicts
✨ More independent problem-solving
✨ Teachers reporting calmer, more connected classrooms
One teacher said:
“Students are solving their own conflicts — without me stepping in.”
Another shared:
“Morning Meeting is now the most important 10 minutes of our day.”
This wasn’t the result of punitive systems. It was the result of connection.
Why SEL Strengthens Positive School Culture
Riverside’s growth didn’t happen by accident. It happened because experiential SEL activates the skills that most influence behavior:
1. Self-awareness (Reflect)
Students learned to name emotions, identify triggers, and reflect on choices.
2. Social awareness & connection (Connect)
Daily sharing built trust, safety, and empathy — reducing conflict.
3. Self-management (Grow)
Hands-on SEL activities helped students practice regulation in real moments, not just talk about it.
4. Group development
As classrooms moved through stages of forming → storming → norming → performing, the daily rituals created predictability and psychological safety.
5. Experiential Learning + Reflection
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle shows that reflection transforms activity into learning — and Riverside used reflection every single day.
Put simply: When students feel seen, supported, and connected, their behavior improves.
Try This Tomorrow: The 2-Minute Behavior Reflection Tool
You can use this at the end of any activity, lesson, or transition.
Student Prompts
“What emotion did you feel most today?”
“What choice are you proud of?”
“What moment do you wish you could redo — and what would you try instead?”
“What helped you stay focused or calm?”
Teacher Tip
Invite students to share in partners (“turn-and-reflect”) before whole-group sharing. This increases participation and safety.
Ready to Bring Kikori to Life in Your Community?
Kikori is built to meet you where you are, whether you’re leading a single classroom or shaping culture across an entire school or district.
For Individual Educators
👫 Belonging first. Learning follows.
A Kikori Pro Membership gives you instant access to:
Morning Meeting & Advisory slide decks
Hands-on, printable SEL activities
Curated music & movement playlists
Tools that help students connect, reflect, and lead
Perfect for educators who want meaningful SEL they can use tomorrow morning.
For Schools & Districts
🏢 Connection is the curriculum.
Kikori’s School-Wide Solution supports Tier 1–3 SEL by equipping every educator with:
Full platform access
Implementation guidance & training
Shared language and practices for culture-building
Bonus resources that support consistency and sustainability
Designed for schools ready to move from isolated activities to a lived, shared SEL experience.
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If this story inspired you, share it with a colleague who could use a spark of hope this week. 💙
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