Healthy Minds

Our program is an integrated approach through which we guide students along their journey towards developing a healthy mind and overall wellbeing. It is a student-centered approach in which the whole child is surrounded and supported by the school: teachers, paraprofessional and support staff, their families and external partners including medical care, therapists and community organizations. The foundation of this program is built upon an inextricable partnership between academic and social-emotional support that leads to overall success and individual flourishing. In addition to the integrated approach with our external partners, the framework creates a tiered, systemic approach through which we follow our students' journey. It is a proactive and preventative process that aims to support all students within an inclusive model, by addressing mental health and learning challenges through early intervention. When implemented with fidelity, we utilize resources more efficiently targeting early intervention, alleviating the need for more costly and time-intensive secondary levels of support.

An increasing need for a unified system of support requires strengthening the support systems around the student to include families, school faculty and community partnerships. The model builds upon the existing tiered support model for students to include the same structure for families, from proactive education and workshops to intensive support for those with children in crisis. Given their crucial role in educating and supporting students, teachers require tiered support based on their specific needs, levels of expertise, and needs of the students. Finally, this program aims to bridge the gaps between healthcare and mental health institutions and school professionals, to seamlessly integrate care between partners. Ultimately, by strengthening the surrounding support systems, The Jacqueline Angus Healthy Minds program will provide a more unified, collaborative, and robust support system for the child.