Trending...
- Tacoma: Lincoln Avenue Bridge to Close Saturday, April 18 for Asphalt Repairs
- Mensa Brings National Board Game Competition to Northern Virginia April 16-19
- Permian Museum Adds Photos of Fossils Discovered on a Meteorite
SEATTLE, Jan. 29, 2025 ~ A new report released today highlights the remarkable efforts of two charter public schools in Washington state in promoting whole-school wellbeing. Despite facing challenges such as opening during the pandemic and serving diverse and high-need student populations, Catalyst Public Schools (Catalyst) in Bremerton and Lumen High School (Lumen) in Spokane have created environments where both students and teachers thrive.
The report, titled "Whole-School Wellbeing: How Education Leaders Can Create a System Where Students and Teachers Thrive," is the result of a two-year participatory evaluation. It showcases the success of Catalyst and Lumen in addressing the urgent mental health and wellbeing crisis in schools, which has disproportionately affected marginalized communities.
Researchers Georgia Heyward, founder of Fig Education Lab, and Sivan Tuchman, founder of Datability Education Consulting, identified a wellbeing framework built on meeting needs for autonomy, competency, and connectedness. Through innovative strategies such as co-teaching, restorative discipline, school-based mentoring, and wrap-around services for social health, these schools have achieved success in fostering wellbeing among their students and teachers.
More on Washingtoner
"Schools have the potential to be more than places of learning—they can be health-generating systems that foster the wellbeing of every student, teacher, and staff member," said Heyward. "By addressing wellbeing gaps for historically underserved communities and embedding an ethos of belonging and inclusion into every aspect of school life, we can create thriving environments where everyone succeeds."
Tuchman added that whole school wellbeing is about creating a community where mental health, quality of life, and belonging are just as important as academics. "When schools focus on connectedness, competency, and autonomy," she said," they create pathways for academic success and personal growth."
The report also emphasizes the critical role of state policies and regional organizations in supporting schools' autonomy and wellbeing efforts. Recommendations include helping schools measure wellbeing, supporting leaders in decision-making, and learning from successful models like Catalyst and Lumen.
More on Washingtoner
Chris Korsmo, Executive Director of the Washington State Charter Public Schools Association, commended the researchers for elevating these practices and showing how charter public schools are driving innovation and equity in education. "This research is a clear call to action for policymakers to take notice of the remarkable impact charter schools are making in Washington state and beyond," she said. "Together, we can ensure every child has access to the support and opportunities they deserve."
The report, along with supporting Promising Practice Guides and Case Studies, and a video series, offers powerful tools for education leaders to combat challenges such as high teacher turnover, rising rates of depression among teens, chronic absenteeism, and significant learning loss. It also serves as a proof point for what public schools can achieve in terms of whole-school wellbeing.
To learn more about the report and access the full video series, visit Fig Education Lab's website.
The report, titled "Whole-School Wellbeing: How Education Leaders Can Create a System Where Students and Teachers Thrive," is the result of a two-year participatory evaluation. It showcases the success of Catalyst and Lumen in addressing the urgent mental health and wellbeing crisis in schools, which has disproportionately affected marginalized communities.
Researchers Georgia Heyward, founder of Fig Education Lab, and Sivan Tuchman, founder of Datability Education Consulting, identified a wellbeing framework built on meeting needs for autonomy, competency, and connectedness. Through innovative strategies such as co-teaching, restorative discipline, school-based mentoring, and wrap-around services for social health, these schools have achieved success in fostering wellbeing among their students and teachers.
More on Washingtoner
- Acuvance Appoints Sandeep Sabharwal to Board of Directors, Strengthening Leadership to Support Continued Platform Growth
- Grange Insurance Association to Rebrand as Granwest Insurance on July 1, 2026
- Dr. Rosendo Icochea, MD Recognized for Contributions to Surgical Education and Medical Research
- Beverly.io Announces Nationwide Expansion and Poppins Payroll Partnership for Families
- City Council Adopts Resolution Transmitting 'Connect Tacoma' Ballot Measure to Pierce County Auditor for August 4, 2026 Primary Election Ballot
"Schools have the potential to be more than places of learning—they can be health-generating systems that foster the wellbeing of every student, teacher, and staff member," said Heyward. "By addressing wellbeing gaps for historically underserved communities and embedding an ethos of belonging and inclusion into every aspect of school life, we can create thriving environments where everyone succeeds."
Tuchman added that whole school wellbeing is about creating a community where mental health, quality of life, and belonging are just as important as academics. "When schools focus on connectedness, competency, and autonomy," she said," they create pathways for academic success and personal growth."
The report also emphasizes the critical role of state policies and regional organizations in supporting schools' autonomy and wellbeing efforts. Recommendations include helping schools measure wellbeing, supporting leaders in decision-making, and learning from successful models like Catalyst and Lumen.
More on Washingtoner
- Lucky Envelope Brewing Celebrates 11th Anniversary
- PeopleNTech Releases 2026 Report Featuring Farhana Hanip: Women-Led Tech is the Business Imperative
- New Book: The Battle for Truth and Shadows - Guardians of Light - Epic Fantasy Unveils a War Between Light and Deception
- Clash of Prompts: The World's First AI Prompt Battle Royale
- $7.6 Billion US Crypto ATM Market by 2034; California and Texas Crypto ATM Deployments for Bitcoin Bancorp (Stock Symbol: BCBC); 1000 Kiosk Inventory
Chris Korsmo, Executive Director of the Washington State Charter Public Schools Association, commended the researchers for elevating these practices and showing how charter public schools are driving innovation and equity in education. "This research is a clear call to action for policymakers to take notice of the remarkable impact charter schools are making in Washington state and beyond," she said. "Together, we can ensure every child has access to the support and opportunities they deserve."
The report, along with supporting Promising Practice Guides and Case Studies, and a video series, offers powerful tools for education leaders to combat challenges such as high teacher turnover, rising rates of depression among teens, chronic absenteeism, and significant learning loss. It also serves as a proof point for what public schools can achieve in terms of whole-school wellbeing.
To learn more about the report and access the full video series, visit Fig Education Lab's website.
0 Comments
Latest on Washingtoner
- Vangal Invests $8.5M in Peridot, Expanding into Enterprise AI Governance and Shadow AI Control
- Bold Beauty Project Announces Exhibition at Palazzo Mora Venice, Italy
- Financial Educator Jessica Perrone Launches Free "3 Stages of Building Wealth" Course for Women
- Captain Notepad Expands Free Custom Design Services Across Full Product Line
- Sycor Introduces Spring Release 2026 of Sycor.Rental with AI-Driven Innovations and Enhanced Service Processes
- YOKE Expands NIL Club Into Athlete-Led Commerce With Athlete Merch Launch
- Floor Kings Announces Official Launch of Premier Epoxy Flooring Services Across Arizona
- UK Buyers Purchase Luxury Home in Keene's Pointe, Windermere (Orlando, Florida)
- Instant IP Launches Rapid Takedown Service to Combat IP Theft, Deepfakes, and Copycat Websites
- Tacoma: Lincoln Avenue Bridge to Close Saturday, April 18 for Asphalt Repairs
- City of Tacoma Invites Community to Shape the Future of Their Neighborhoods at Upcoming Code Update Event
- Su Che Publishing Announces New Children's Book Celebrating Vaisakhi Festival
- Permian Museum Adds Photos of Fossils Discovered on a Meteorite
- This Saturday: Open House for Manalapan's Newest Single Family Home Community
- Radarsign™ Awarded Sourcewell Contract Expanding Access to Traffic Safety Solutions
- MainConcept and NETINT Bring VPU Acceleration to Easy Video API
- City Of Spokane Partners With Meals On Wheels To Purchase Cooling Fans For Local Seniors, Residents With Disabilities
- Larry R. Wasion's Jump Gate 2: Teleporter Expands the Time Travel Universe with High-Stakes Action and Ethical Dilemmas
- Bruce A. Rosenblat Releases A Pocket Full of Change, a Sharp, Thought-Provoking Book on Growth, Perspective, and Personal Change
- Marcus Boyd Announces Upcoming Children's Book The Royal World of Autism and Expands His Global Advocacy for Autism Awareness