Questions such as the following drove discussions around Anne Arundel County: 

• What are the challenges and obstacles that negatively affect our students’ engagement and achievement most significantly and why?
• Are we analyzing our data and listening closely to learn about all of our students when we seek to understand our learners’ social-emotional and academic struggles?
• How do cultural differences, language challenges, transportation difficulties, health problems, and frequent family relocation (mobility) serve as obstacles to school success for our students?
• What resources and supports are available within AACPS and across our county to support students and families in need? 
• How do we help our families receive the supports they need?

The Second Step Program is a school-based curriculum program implemented in our school in order to focus on social emotional well being, skills, and strategies. This program is conducted in each classroom 2-3 times per week; and the skills and strategies taught during these lessons help the students with peer conflict, coping strategies, and problem solving techniques. 

The Tiger Squad is a unique program that North Glen offers to male students from grades 3-5 to provide additional life skills, character education and resources. Throughout the year the Tiger Squad has engaged in activities which develop responsibility and interpersonal skills, such as running “The Coffee Cart”, a student run business. Tiger Squad students have also participated in sessions on learning how to tie a tie and meetings with police officers from Anne Arundel County, just to name a few.  Our Tiger Squad program has had a positive social-emotional impact on many of our male learners.

North Glen has also worked hard to build up our volunteer program; and as a result, we have had an influx of parent and community volunteers. Volunteers in our school  support teachers and students during the school day individually and in small groups, building positive relationships with many of our struggling students and providing one-on-one attention which helps to bolster their academic and emotional well-being. In May of 2019, our parent volunteer program received an award from the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Office of School and Family Partnerships.

Additionally, the staff of North Glen Elementary has worked hard to build and develop strong relationships with community members and organizations to become more involved in our community and to provide more resources for our students, such as access to more school supplies, before and aftercare, and mentoring . In conjunction with the North Glen Community Church, our staff has been able to provide students with school supplies and a number of activities that cater to our families. The local Raven’s Roost has also provided us with funding and resources to provide students with books, binders, chromebooks, and general classroom supplies.  We also have partnerships with several businesses in the community, such as Chick-Fil-A and McDonald’s, to help with our fundraising endeavors to support student events, field trips and more.