It’s nice to meet you!

Mindful Schools is so pleased to introduce new members of the community to our mission and programs. We have included some information about our work below, as well as some videos, to help you get to know us better. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at collaboration@mindfulschools.org if you have any questions. We look forward to connecting with you!

The Need to Support Mental Health in Schools

• In 2019, more than 1 in 3 high school students had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (a 40% increase since 2009) and 1 in 6 youth reported making a suicide plan in the past year (a 44% increase since 2009).
• A 2021 survey of high school students showed that 44% felt persistently sad or hopeless during the past year. However, youth who felt connected to adults and peers at school were 18% less likely than those who did not to report poor mental health.
• In 2021, the US Surgeon General’s Office is issued a youth mental health advisory in response to rising rates in depression, anxiety, and mental health-related hospital visits in youth.

About Mindful Schools

Mindful Schools partners with educators to create equitable and joyful learning environments that center collective well-being. Our “adults-first” approach is based on research which demonstrates that teachers who socially and emotionally connect with students have the most positive impact on a child’s future education and health outcomes—even more than teachers who achieve higher student academic test scores. Read more about our Research-Based Approach.

Our Program

Mindful Schools is led by educators and designed for educators. Our team brings a range of experience and expertise in navigating the complexities of working within public K-12 education. Programs include: schoolwide mindfulness partnerships; K-12 mindfulness curriculum training; workshops; whole school professional development sessions; and coaching and implementation support for school teams. Our priority is to serve diverse, under-resourced, and historically marginalized school communities that have been most impacted by systemic inequities.

Our Reach

Since 2007, Mindful Schools has trained 50,000 educators through in-person programs and online courses. Today, we partner with 245 schools (64% are designated as Title I), in addition to serving thousands of educators each year through our professional development programs. Our goal is to serve 1,000 schools annually by 2025, with at least 70% designated as Title I.

See Our Program in Action: Daniel Webster Elementary School in San Francisco

See our Program in Action: June Jordan High School in San Francisco

Outcomes

After only eight weeks of our program:

• 96% of educators report having developed strategies to support their own well-being
• 99% of educators report having effective strategies to build a positive classroom climate
• 98% of educators report having effective strategies to build and strengthen relationships with students

Qualitative Data

• A discipline coordinator, during a restorative circle discussion with students about conflicts at the school, noticed that the youth who practiced mindfulness were able to self-regulate, lean into empathy, and view the issue from both perspectives
• A teacher noticed the entire class dynamic had changed when she changed her perception of her “challenging students.” She used to get frustrated by the outbursts from her most talkative students and labelled them as disruptive. But when she started to notice how their contributions were the ones enriching the classroom discussions in the most profound way, she started to feel more patience and less stress in her interactions, which led to the students feeling more seen and understood and less “disruptive” moments.
• A school a counselor noticed her knee-jerk reaction when a student didn’t engage with her. Instead of burying herself in paperwork, she took a deep breath, faced the student, and shared how she was feeling and that she really wanted to build a relationship. To her surprise, the conversation completely opened up.
• A teacher stopped using “pop” quizzes in class after realizing that the surprise can place students who have experienced trauma into “flight, fight, or freeze” mode

Bay Area Programs

Mindful Schools has a cohort of schools for which we have provided ongoing services, training, and support, including Civic Center Secondary School, Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy, Hillcrest Elementary, and Daniel Webster Elementary. See our list of San Francisco Bay Area School Partners.

Downtown High School

Our team is currently seeking investment to provide services to Downtown High School in San Francisco to address the urgent mental health crisis that staff and students are experiencing and to build a sustainable, school-wide culture of well-being and equity to support future generations of students and teachers. Read more about our Initiative to Partner with Downtown High School.

Join the Movement

We are always looking for kind and compassionate individuals to help drive forward our mission. Please donate today or contact us at collaboration@mindfulschools.org to see how you can join the movement. Your support will ensure children will gain the nurturing support and essential life skills they need to navigate challenges with resilience, agency, and ease.

With care,
Seewan Eng
Executive Director at Mindful Schools