On Monday mornings at Piney Woods in Splendora ISD, something special happens.
Before math lessons begin and reading groups gather, students pause for a moment of reflection, guided by a friendly elephant named MASEL.
District Leadership Team members recently got a glimpse of what students experience each week through a video created by Piney Woods Counselor Jessica Brent. What they saw wasn’t just a lesson — it was a movement.
MASEL stands for Moment of Awareness Social Emotional Learning. The idea was born in the fall of 2024 during a brainstorming session between Mrs. Brent, Assistant Principal Shannon Shumate, and teacher Lacey Wright. They asked a simple but powerful question: How can we better meet our students’ social and emotional needs?
The answer was to create space — at least once a week — for students to slow down and become more aware of themselves, their friendships, and their feelings.
In January 2025, MASEL officially went “on air.”
The character of MASEL, an elephant, was intentionally chosen. Emotions can feel heavy. Social struggles often go unspoken. And sometimes the biggest challenges are the “elephant in the room.” Through short, engaging weekly videos tailored separately for Pre-K through third grade and for fourth and fifth grades, students learn about kindness, self-regulation, empathy, responsibility, and making positive choices.
In just one year, MASEL has become a beloved campus friend.
But perhaps the most powerful part is the results.
From August through February of the 2024–2025 school year, Piney Woods recorded approximately 80 counselor referrals. During that same timeframe this school year, referrals dropped to roughly 25.
Behavior referrals have also decreased dramatically, from 380 last year to 120 so far this year — an average reduction of at least 20 referrals per month.
The data confirms what teachers are seeing daily: students are learning to calm themselves, communicate more effectively, and make better decisions. Research shows that dedicating just five to 10 minutes a week to intentional social-emotional learning can significantly reduce classroom disruptions, and Piney Woods is seeing that impact firsthand.
And if you ask the students about MASEL, their responses say it best.
Kaisley B. shared, “She helps me grow my brain.”
“MASEL helps me calm down when I get upset,” said Benjamin P.
Lauryn T. added, “I like how it teaches us how to be kind and make good choices.”
“She’s funny!” said Cattleya P.
Scarlett T. explained, “She helps me with my madness, and when I see her, I get excited!”
“She makes me happy,” said Scarlett B.
MASEL is more than a video series. She is a trusted voice, a weekly reset, and a reminder that feelings matter — and that learning how to manage them is just as important as learning to read and write.
At Piney Woods, the elephant in the room isn’t ignored.
It’s embraced. And it’s making a difference.