Name: Sarah Gaw
Role: Network Director of Social Emotional Learning
District: Distinctive Schools
State: Illinois
“SEL is important to me because of the influence SEL skills have on the individual lives and futures of our students. SEL is the vehicle in which our students’ hopes and dreams can be reached. I often tell students that even if you’re the smartest person in the room, if you can’t work well with others and navigate through challenging situations, your knowledge and other skills won’t be used to their full potential. These SEL skills are so important for our young people in becoming happy, successful and contributing members of our community. To me, SEL skills are absolutely essential for the future of our students. ”
Sarah is the Regional SEL Manager for Distinctive Schools. She has worked for many years prior as an educator and counselor. Sarah currently lives in Chicago with her family and loves to explore all that the city has to offer.