Learning social skills at Chisago Lakes Middle School

More than ever, kids today communicate via technology. A 2010 Nielson study reported the average teen sends 3,339 text messages per month and Facebook now accounts for one of every five web pages viewed online. As social technology becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives and our young people spend more time communicating behind a screen, the importance of teaching our students face to face social skills and proper public etiquette cannot be understated.

It doesn’t take an exhaustive search in the academic literature to realize the strong correlation between social skills and outcomes like early school performance, academic achievement, resilience, and career success. Kids with good social skills are generally more successful in school; they achieve higher grades and report enjoying school more than kids with poor social skills. Adults with good social skills exhibit similar success in their careers when they’ve completed their education and/or vocational training. Indeed, equipping our students with social skills is a vital piece in training well rounded citizens to be prepared to compete in our rapidly changing world. In this school year about 15 Chisago Lakes Middle School (CLMS) students have attended a special training and luncheon led by Ms. Julie Frantz, a regional expert in etiquette and social skills training. The morning started where students received introductory training in social skills, restaurant manners, the importance of making a good first impression, and social decision making.

After about an hour of instruction at CLMS, students boarded a bus and headed for Eichten’s Bistro. Here they received “on the meal” training from Ms. Frantz as the various courses were served. Ms. Frantz is a dynamic speaker with years of experience; she held the attention of students and staff alike as she implemented her curriculum. Because a small group of students were selected to participate in the training, Ms. Frantz was able to provide individual students with suggestions and feedback as the meal was served. Through the training, students learned valuable skills they could implement immediately at home with their families and carry into future social situations and job interviews. The outing was a success; students represented CLMS proudly in our community and received compliments from community members, Eichten’s staff, and CLMS staff alike. Submitted by, Jason Riebe Middle School Assoicate Principal