This article discusses the legacy of Fred Rogers, and bridges the connections of his work in early childhood development to the needs of older students. The author draws upon her own experiences as a child watching "Mister Roger's Neighborhood," and as a teacher who has tried to incorporate several of his ideas into her own high school English classroom. She argues that especially in this time of uncertainty, change, and political unrest, and when facing students after a long absence in a pandemic, teachers need to be equipped to meet their students' social-emotional needs before their academic needs. The article offers specific suggestions and insights from Fred Rogers and scholars on social-emotional learning to help teachers and students cope with the challenges they face today.