Identifying the Need for a Schoolwide Approach
Charles Campbell College (CCC) is a K-12 school in Adelaide, South Australia, where leaders identified student wellbeing as a growing priority. The school serves a diverse student body of more than 1,200 students, who collectively represent 44 countries and speak 36 different languages at home. Of the total enrollment, 18 percent of students also identify as having a disability. While CCC had several wellbeing initiatives in place, staff lacked a schoolwide approach to emotional regulation.
“In 2021, “wellbeing” was identified as a priority area requiring attention. At that point, there was no site-wide program or a clear action plan for improving student wellbeing outcomes. There was no consolidated or consistent approach being used by educators to enhance self-awareness, self-regulation, social interactions, or responsible decision-making,” expressed Bobbie Taylor, Assistant Principal for Wellbeing and Inclusion.
Introducing The Zones of Regulation
Since 2022, CCC has been using The Zones of Regulation® curriculum to build a shared language and approach to self-regulation. The program began with weekly lessons for elementary students, then expanded to Year 7 (7th grade) the following year and became part of middle and high school lessons. The Zones of Regulation® Adolescent Adaptations Training is required professional development for all Year 7 Home Group teachers and Zones Change Champion Team members.
Mentor teachers participated in professional development and Zones practices became part of daily classroom routines through check-ins and regulation supports. To support students who needed more intensive regulation support, CCC created three “Self-Regulation Rooms” tailored to different age groups. These spaces offered less stimulating environments for students to use regulation tools and reflect before returning to class.
“Some things that have worked well this year with The Zones of Regulation lessons is me realising my Zones throughout the day and realising it’s okay to feel the way I do throughout the day.” –Student at Charles Campbell
The Zones framework was also woven into academic subjects. In English and Drama, students analyzed characters’ emotional states through a Zones lens. In Modern History, they explored how historical figures might have felt during key events. Zones visuals appeared throughout the school, and staff meetings often began with a Zones Check-In. Kindergarten families received Zones-themed mugs to welcome them to the school community while the entire staff received lanyards as a visual reminder of their shared commitment.
CCC has worked to engage families as well, offering parent workshops, sharing resources at school events, and posting Zones content on the school and parent Facebook pages.
Looking Ahead
The school is focused on embedding The Zones more deeply into curriculum areas to support long-term sustainability. While this work is gaining momentum, leaders recognize the need for ongoing efforts to ensure the initiative remains central. Staff turnover is another area of focus. Ensuring all new hires complete The Zones of Regulation Basic Training will be key to maintaining consistency.
Additional efforts are underway to provide teacher aides with Tools to Try Cards so they can engage more meaningfully with students who show signs of dysregulation or low engagement. CCC is also working to strengthen connections between The Zones curriculum and broader outcomes such as reductions in behavioral incidents and improvements in attendance. While this is still a work in progress, strong evidence is emerging of meaningful gains in emotional regulation.
“The Zones has met our needs for a flagship social-emotional learning program in many ways. We have seen measurable improvements in student self-reports of wellbeing literacy, emotional regulation, and resilience,” shared Bobbie Taylor, Assistant Principal for Wellbeing and Inclusion. “The Zones has also opened up dialogue with families, particularly when discussing behaviour concerns. It provides a common language and clear strategies for students, educators and parents to work on together.”
