Connections Block provides a daily opportunity for teachers and students to begin to establish trusting relationships while exploring issues related to social attitudes and behavior. At the beginning and end of each day, students meet in groups with the same teacher. This provides a daily structure for students' sense of belogning in the school. Salem Academy supports the belief that all students benefit from strong ties to their schools and positive, caring adult role models in addition to those provided in the family. Connections includes structured activities to establish and explore school norms and to investigate themes related to civics within the school and outside of it. It also allows for time to discuss pertinent issues relating to individuals, the school, or the community. Connections is inteded to be student run, though in First Form teachers model facilitation skills so that students can learn how to take on increasing levels of responsibility over time.  In addition, this time period is used for school-wide Community Meetings once each week.