How Online Elementary School Builds Social-Emotional Skills That Last

Online Learning Resources

07/31/2026

By Pam Adams, M.Ed., Ed.S., Director of Education

When families picture online elementary school, they might envision a child alone at a laptop, missing out on hallway chats with friends and problem-solving on the playground that shape a young learner’s emotional growth. At Laurel Springs, opportunities to build social-emotional skills are built into every teacher appointment, grade-level live learning experience, counseling session, and club meeting. This is not a new philosophy. When founder Marilyn Mosley Gordanier established Laurel Springs in 1991 as the nation’s first online K-12 school, she built it around a simple belief: a learning environment should fit the student, not the other way around, with flexibility, personal attention, and human connection at its center.
Here’s exactly how it works, and what it means for your child.

What does social-emotional learning mean at Laurel Springs?

According to our Profile of a Student, a Laurel Springs student:

embraces a growth mindset and seeks and acts on constructive feedback.
is self-motivated, independent, and flexible, while balancing multiple projects and pursuits.
pursues their passions — academic, artistic, athletic, entrepreneurial, or charitable — both inside and outside the school.
is a critical thinker, curious learner, and creative problem-solver.
is open-minded, empathetic, and enjoys learning alongside people from a variety of backgrounds.
effectively and ethically leverages technology to deepen their learning and communicate with confidence, clarity, and respect.

Our elementary school academic and social experiences create opportunities for our younger learners to practice critical social skills, empathy, and curiosity when interacting with each other and the adults who care for them.

Live Learning Experiences Keep Connection at the Center

Every Laurel Springs online elementary student can attend optional weekly grade-level live learning experiences in Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies, led by teachers who get to know each child and family personally.

These sessions are more than academic check-ins. They give young learners a regular opportunity to raise their hand, ask questions, celebrate wins, or work through frustrations alongside a caring teacher and their peers, while at the same time practicing key academic skills in core content areas.

Support at Laurel Springs is never one-size-fits-all. Every online elementary student receives individualized feedback directly from their teacher, not a generic note at the end of a unit. Students and families can spend 1:1 time with their teachers by appointment at any time. Teachers, counselors, and other staff assist with students’ social-emotional progress with the same attention as their academic progress, and adjust in real time when something isn’t working.

Families notice the difference this personal attention makes. As one Laurel Springs parent said, “We have been impressed by how knowledgeable and helpful his teachers and the administrators are. Each brings humanity to the process with their comments and feedback. I appreciate the time that the teachers and counselors take to get to know my son and to offer specific advice and direction.”

Online Clubs Give Students a Place to Belong

Belonging is a core piece of social-emotional learning, and at our online elementary school, we offer more than 30 clubs and activities, such as STEM Club, Lego Club, and Pet Club.

Clubs meet virtually on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, and are led by staff who share the students’ interests. This gives every child (whether an aspiring engineer, animal lover, or bookworm) a low-pressure space to build friendships around shared passions. As our team likes to say, clubs and activities are where our students find their people!

Book Nook Story Time

A clear example of social-emotional learning partnered with academics happens every day at noon EST, when our online elementary students are invited to a live Book Nook video call. There, a staff member or older student volunteer reads a book aloud to the group, turning story time into a daily touchpoint. Listening to a story together, then talking about what they read, gives younger students low-stakes practice with empathy and perspective-taking.

The older student volunteers (who are members of one of our 16 middle and high school honor societies) are able to build their public speaking skills, confidence, and a sense of responsibility toward younger classmates they might otherwise never meet. Because Book Nook happens at the same time every day, it becomes something young learners and their families can count on.

Families Stay in the Loop, Every Step of the Way

At Laurel Springs, families are full partners in their child’s online elementary education. They serve as learning coaches day to day, which means they’re often the first to see a new coping skill or confidence boost in action, with teachers close by to help them respond. Our families receive various resources including:

Weekly grade-level newsletters
Frequent updates by email, phone, and video
Regular academic and social-emotional check-ins with their child’s teacher/counselor

What Parents Can Do at Home to Support Social-Emotional Growth

As your child’s day-to-day academic coach, you’re responsible for providing organization and structure, creating a proper learning environment, and promoting consistency in the learning process. That same routine-building work you’re already doing doubles as social-emotional support for your young learner.

A predictable daily schedule, one that includes a variety of activities and breaks to help your child stay engaged and on task, gives your online elementary student a sense of stability that makes it easier to manage frustration and stay regulated throughout the day.

We encourage families to monitor and recognize your child’s comprehension so you can partner effectively with their teacher. Noticing when a lesson clicks, or when it doesn’t, helps your child build the kind of self-awareness that’s central to social-emotional growth, and gives you the information you need to adjust pace or ask for extra support before frustration sets in.

As a parent of two Laurel Springs students shared: “Laurel Springs gives them a strong support team. The kids are able to excel in their academic and social paths, growing in areas like time management, emotional growth, and general knowledge.”

Friendship Grows Beyond the Screen

Online doesn’t mean isolated. Socializing in the virtual classroom is only half the picture. Families enrolled in Laurel Springs’ online elementary school can join in-person monthly family field trips, regional meet-ups, and socials. Our Year-End Celebration each June gives students an extra chance to turn virtual classmates into real-life friends.

For many families, these in-person events are where social-emotional learning truly clicks: a student who’s practiced patience and empathy in a Zoom club meeting puts it into practice on a field trip with current or new friends.

Because of the flexibility we provide, families also have plenty of opportunities to support their child’s social-emotional growth beyond Laurel Springs by cultivating a thriving social life for their online student through community theater, local sports teams, and volunteer projects. These opportunities help to build friendships and practice social skills face-to-face. The more places your child feels connected, the stronger their support network will be.

How Social-Emotional Learning Prepares Online Students for Middle School and Beyond

Online middle school, just like any middle school, asks more of students, and the social-emotional groundwork laid in the elementary years is what makes that jump manageable. A few specifics:

Students interact regularly with more teachers. Middle school students work with a wider variety of teachers who specialize in particular subjects. We encourage students to connect with each of their teachers through individual appointments on a regular basis to build relationships and practice time management and communication skills.
Counselor-led social-emotional learning lessons begin. Laurel Springs’ full-time counselors lead live monthly lessons for grades 6-8, so skills like growth mindset and conflict resolution are reinforced by the same K-8 counseling program, not handed off to someone new.
Middle school is built around growing independence. Middle school is a time of transformation, centered on encouraging independent study habits and self-discovery. We encourage families to nurture their child’s independence and help them take the lead in communication and problem-solving, rather than manage it for them.
In-person connection continues to grow. Like elementary families, our online middle school families take part in field trips, meet-ups, and other in-person events, building on the real-world friendships that started in K-5.

Frequently Asked Questions about Social-Emotional Learning in Online Elementary Schools

About the Author

Pam Adams has been a teacher and administrator since 1992. Her experience in K-12 education includes teaching, serving as assistant principal, principal, and Director of Curriculum, Secondary Schools, and Virtual Learning. She has designed targeted professional learning opportunities for high school teachers, as well as served on numerous state level monitoring teams throughout her home state of Georgia.

Ms. Adams has accomplished strategic school improvement specializing in grades six through twelve, with an emphasis in mathematics. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Piedmont College, and both Master of Education and Specialist in Education degrees in Educational Leadership from the University of Georgia.