Community Montessori, located at 4102 St. Joseph Road in New Albany, is excited to announce the launch of its Tier II Teen Wellness Initiative for the 2024-2025 school year.
The Wellness Initiative is a holistic program designed to improve the mental, emotional and physical health of teenagers. The initiative reflects the school’s commitment to creating a supportive and healthy environment for all learners.
As a reflective community, the school is continually working to improve and adapt its practice for the benefit of all learners. A holistic approach ensures the school is constantly evolving to meet the needs of learners from early childhood through to adolescents.
In response to growing concerns about teens’ mental health that emerged through one-on-one meetings, coursework and fitness activities, the initiative will introduce new programming to support teens’ goals.
These goals include increasing outdoor activity, continued hydration, building muscle, improving evening habits, etc. Building on existing initiatives such as Mid-Day Renewal, Fitness Friday and Bring Change to Mind, the school’s aim is to provide even stronger support for its learners.
A cornerstone of the Teen Wellness Initiative is new smartphone protocols. Starting next school year, teens will be required to keep their smartphones in their pouches during school hours. While talk/text phones can remain in backpacks during the day, keeping smartphones off during school hours will help teens focus more on their education and relationships, without the distractions of social media and constant connectivity.
Highlighting the importance of this initiative, CM Director Barbara Burke Fondren said, “We are committed to the holistic development of our learners. This initiative is a step towards ensuring that teenagers are healthy, happy and ready to contribute to the world.”
In addition to these changes, charter public schools are considering the possibility of moving to a four-day week. This proposed schedule would add four extra days to the school day, with either Monday or Friday being a day off.
Potential benefits include improved mental health, improved academic achievement, more time with family, and opportunities for enrichment activities like internships and volunteer work. We are currently surveying families and gathering feedback to ensure this potential change is in the best interest of our community.
The Teen Wellness Initiative was officially launched at CASA dei Curiosity on Thursday, May 16, with families and teens in attendance to learn about these exciting changes and share their feedback. A follow-up virtual meeting was held on Tuesday, May 21 to address questions that arose after families reviewed the new policies and programs and to ensure family and teen voices were heard. The initiative was then shared with all school families during parent-teacher conferences on Friday, May 24, along with a 4-day school week survey.
Community Montessori believes this approach will positively impact the overall well-being of learners and foster an environment where teenagers can thrive both academically and personally.
Community Montessori looks forward to fostering a healthier and more focused learning environment for all learners in the coming school year.
