10/25: From Program to Practice
Showcasing transformative projects and insights from leaders revolutionizing education and organizations through emotional intelligence, human development, and social impact.
About the editor: Griffin Gervais is the Founder & Podcast Host of Come Home Collective
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✍🏼 I Invite You To...Building Capacity Is the Key
Across the country, I’m noticing a powerful theme emerging in districts deep into their SEL implementation journeys. The greatest challenge isn’t a lack of commitment. It’s not even a shortage of resources.
It’s capacity.
More and more, districts are asking:
“How do we make SEL foundational—not just another initiative?”
And the answer starts with building human capacity.
It’s less about what (programs, resources, or curriculum) and more about how. When educators and leaders build the skills to truly embody emotional intelligence—when they understand why this work matters—it becomes part of the fabric of who they are and how their schools, organizations, and teams operate.
Because SEL isn’t a checklist.
It’s a lens.
Yes, other barriers exist—tools, funding, competing priorities—but without strong adult development and consistent implementation support, no initiative will stick.
Systemic change only happens when the adults already in the building know how to do the work, believe in why it matters, and show up through that lens.
So I invite you to pause and ask:
👉🏽 Where are you in your SEL journey?
👉🏽 Are you building the emotional intelligence of your adults—or just adding more things on top?
Until we focus on the skill-building and development of the people already in the room, no new initiative will gain traction.
Programs, resources, and tools don’t shift culture—people do.
We Are Stronger Together,
Griffin
🎙️ Come Home Podcast: A Sit-Down Conversation with Dr. Beth Rice, Founder of Wellbeing4learning.
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Beth Rice to explore what it means to truly center wellbeing in education and organizations.
From her personal journey as a school psychologist and teacher to leading state-level SEL and MTSS initiatives in North Carolina, Beth shares what it takes to co-create resilient, caring learning and work environments.
We unpack wellbeing at both the individual and systems levels:
Why it’s more than self-care
How it lives in policy and practice
What it looks like when people are supported as whole humans
You’ll also hear about Beth’s work launching communities of practice, her reflections on leadership, and how Wellbeing4Learning helps schools and organizations lead with humanity at the core.
🎧 Listen Now on Spotify
🌐 Website: wellbeing4learning.org
💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Beth Rice
💬 Got questions about the episode? Ask here
📣 Resource Spotlight: Supporting Adult SEL — Investing in Our Educators
If we want SEL to become foundational—not just another to-do—we have to start with adult development.
This month’s featured resource from CASEL makes the case powerfully: “Supporting Adult SEL: Investing in Our Educators”
🔑 3 Big Takeaways:
You don’t “do SEL”—you embody it.
Adults must develop emotional intelligence to bring SEL into classrooms, relationships, and decisions in authentic ways.Programs don’t drive change. People do.
Without strong adult capacity, no curriculum or initiative will stick—because the how always falls short.Leadership is the multiplier.
When leaders model SEL competencies and make adult development a strategic priority, it cascades throughout the system.
If you’re in the middle of your district’s SEL journey, this is a must-read.
📎 Read the full guide: CASEL: Supporting Adult SEL
🚀 How We Support
At Come Home Collective, we help schools, districts, universities, and education organizations make SEL foundational—not just another initiative.
We focus on the adults—because when they lead with emotional intelligence, it transforms culture, climate, and outcomes.
Whether you need:
Strategic implementation support
Professional development & EI training
Coaching and tools for educators & leaders
A long-term partner to help scale and sustain SEL
We’re here to walk with you.
📆 Book a 1:1 Call
🌐 Check Out Our Services
🌱 We’re Stronger Together
Follow along to see how we’re partnering, building, and transforming education through emotional intelligence and adult learning.
💻 [Website] Explore our work
🎥 [YouTube] Watch the Building Come Home vlog
💬 [LinkedIn] Stay connected with us at Come Home Collective
🎙️ [Podcast] Listen to powerful conversations with leaders like Megan Marcus, David Adams, Dr. Angela Bauer, Dr. Robin Stern & more
🤖 [Ask My AI Agent] 24/7 support for your questions on EI, education, leadership & more
📆 [Let’s Talk] Find a time to connect so we can champion this work together
Want to be featured or collaborate? Reach out: griffin@comehomecollective.org
Let’s keep growing—together.