**by Jack Storey**

MCPS superintendent Joshua Starr gave a spring seminar on social and emotional learning at Whitman May 10.

Starr uses these seminars not only to raise awareness about important issues but also to connect with the community. About 200 people attended the discussion, which was held in the cafeteria.

Starr discussed how vital it is that as young children, students learn fundamental social skills. He gave advice to teachers who attended, suggesting ways they can better prepare students for confronting social situations later in life.

After Starr summarized the issue of social and emotional awareness, each table discussed ways to educate students in the community socially and emotionally. Ideas ranged from the basic, like eating dinner with children and talking about their day, to the more complex, like creating a class to teach students effective social skills and emotions management.

“His philosophy towards educating students matches mine,” principal Alan Goodwin said.

Though the presentation was designed for parents, administrators and students, there were less than five students who stayed until the end. Starr encouraged more student participation for future seminars, insisting that community discussion is important.

“It’s about what you do as a school community that creates social and emotional learning,” he said.