When I was a kid in the 1990’s, late August meant spending as many of those final summer days at the pool as possible, until the evening classes were posted. Then it was time to run to the school, see which of my friends were in my class, and then try to convince my parents […]
Category: Mental Health/Whole School Wellness/SEL
When Back-to-School Means More Than School Supplies
partnershipsRelationshipsSEL / Social emotional learningWellnesswhole school wellness
Vote for National Principals Association Sessions at SXSW EDU
The National Principals Association is proposing two sessions for the 2027 SXSW EDU Conference & Festival. One of the largest and most well-attended education conferences in the country, SXSW EDU chooses its session agenda based on three elements, one of which is public voting. The polls are only open until August 23, so make your selection today!
AIAI in Educationeducation technology and innovationInnovationtrauma-informed carewhole school wellness
5 Strategies to Support Mental Health in Elementary School
At Sward Elementary School in Oak Lawn, IL, supporting mental health is a yearlong goal we are always working toward. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m happy to share some strategies we’ve implemented in our school to ensure our students have the tools they need to foster self-awareness and self-regulation.
elementaryselstudent mental health
5 Ways to Stay Inspired Through June
The end of the school year can bring up a variety of emotions. Many of us are relieved about the break ahead, but it’s also normal to feel sadness, frustration, and plain old fatigue—especially when testing, graduation, and perhaps a few behavioral spikes are on the calendar ahead.
school cultureStudent Engagementwhole school wellness
4 Ways Principals Can Prioritize and Inspire Wellness
Student and staff wellness has become inseparable from academic success. Yet for principals, the demands of the job often leave little time or space to prioritize personal well-being.
5 Priorities for Healing-Centered Leadership
For more than a decade, trauma-informed practices have helped educators better understand how adversity shapes student wellness, behavior, and learning; this shift has been essential. Yet for many K-12 school principals, it is no longer sufficient. Trauma-informed approaches are largely reactive—focused on responding once harm has occurred. Healing-centered leadership moves further upstream, intentionally cultivating environments where students and adults experience […]
How Our NEHS Chapter Supports Students Experiencing Stress and Anxiety
As an adviser, I’ve always felt that I am not the driver of our National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) chapter. Instead, I’m more like the bumper making sure that everyone is safe and then covering everything as an administrator. I let my students direct the path that our chapter takes in the way of service projects because I want the projects that we do to […]
elementaryNEHS
Why Helping Students Navigate Tough Conversations Matters More Than Ever
The ability to navigate tough conversations and foster growth through civil discourse is more important than ever. As cultural, economic, and political challenges persist across the country, it’s not just adults dealing with these issues and conflicts in their lives. Students are also wrestling with tough questions, though most of them don’t yet have the […]
Sharing My Real Mental Health Journey
Mental health advocacy is my passion. This past year I’ve put everything I can into it by sharing my story. For a long time though, when I tried to speak about my mental health, I tended to filter my words. I would always spin what I was saying into a more positive story and ignore […]
Your 2025 UNITED Agenda: Mental Health
Lead With Compassion: Mental Health at UNITED 2025 Leadership today demands more than vision—it requires heart. With student needs intensifying and staff exhaustion growing, mental health support has never been more critical. These UNITED 2025 sessions are designed to help leaders foster safe, inclusive, and emotionally responsive school environments.