Apperson Partners with Open Circle and Sudbury Schools to Host Webinar on Integrated Approach to Social and Emotional Learning
Experts to explain why SEL curriculum and assessment go hand-in-hand
Charlotte N.C. – Nov 18, 2015 – Assessment leader Apperson is partnering with Open Circle, a leading provider of social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, and Sudbury Public Schools outside of Boston, to host a free webinar Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015. The webinar, “Why Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum and Assessment go Hand-in-Hand,” will take place at 4 p.m. (EST).
The webinar features experts Marc Kirsch, Product Development Manager for SEL at Apperson and Kamilah Drummond-Forrester, program manager for Open Circle. The speakers will focus on the importance of social and emotional learning and the benefits of using a curricula and assessment program together to help children overcome obstacles and build resiliency. Sudbury Public Schools will present about its experience with Apperson’s SEL assessments and the Open Circle curriculum.
Apperson offers an online assessment platform called Evo Social & Emotional to help educators measure SEL skills. The tool features the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA), a strengths-based assessment designed to screen students for social and emotional competencies.
Open Circle provides an evidence-based SEL curriculum for elementary school students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The program helps students develop skills such as empathy, positive relationships and problem solving.
This is the latest effort by Apperson and Open Circle to help educators address students’ SEL development and focus on the whole child. Earlier this summer Apperson and Open Circle partnered to align the skills from its Evo SEL assessment with the skills and practices from the Open Circle Curriculum. The partnership allows educators to measure and track outcomes of the Open Circle programming and to refine Open Circle instruction based on student strengths and needs.
All attendees of the Dec. 2 webinar will receive a free trial of Apperson’s Evo SEL and a discount toward Open Circle products. To register click here or go to
About the Speakers:
Marc Kirsch, Business Development Manager for Apperson. Marc T. Kirsch is the Business Development Manager for Social-Emotional Learning products at Apperson. He is a resourceful problem-solver and team leader, skilled in turning ideas into products and services. Marc is tasked with developing Apperson’s social-emotional assessment products, working with educators, industry experts and partners to understand and improve the lives of children everywhere. Since the late nineties Marc’s work with a variety of industry leaders has developed his belief that customers deserve a better experience and he molds this believe into everything he does. A father to two young girls, his passion for education brought him to Apperson to turn data into action.
Kamilah Drummond-Forrester, program manager for Open Circle. Kamilah co-founded the Dorchester Collegiate Academy Charter School in Boston where she oversaw social and emotional planning. She has also served as director of the Offender Reentry Program at the Suffolk County House of Correction and worked with youth in the Boston Public School system as a GEAR UP Coordinator. She joined Open Circle in 2013.
Sudbury Public Schools. The school district is located in Sudbury, a suburban town 20 miles west of Boston. The district uses Evo SEL in conjunction with Open Circle. A school representative will discuss the district’s implementation plan and why it chose these tools as part of its SEL strategy.
About Apperson
Apperson’s K-12 assessment solutions help educators develop a 360° panorama of the student and his or her strengths, as well as areas of opportunities, that can inform curriculum decision-making and create positive learning outcomes. Whether it’s DataLink scanners, or the Evo assessment platform, Apperson’s products support and encourage a holistic learning and development approach by helping teachers turn assessment data into actionable information.
About Open Circle
Open Circle is a leading provider of evidence-based curriculum and professional development for social and emotional learning in elementary schools. Since 1987, Open Circle has reached two million children and 15,000 educators. Open Circle is currently used in over 300 schools across the United States. Open Circle is a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College.