InformED Report: Schools Promote Mental Wellness for Students

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01/30/2017 | New Zealand | Education HQ

NZ teachers taking positive steps towards student wellbeing

Michelle Curran | Education HQ

Schools promote wellbeing through their vision, values and strategic priorities and through the deliberate design of their curriculum.

At the same time, schools respond to emerging wellbeing issues and concerns.

In March, educators, leaders and decision-makers from all sectors will gather in Christchurch for New Zealand’s first ever positive education conference to look at combining the science of wellbeing with best practice education.

Positive Education NZ 2017 aims to capture those who have an interest in applying the theories and research emanating from positive psychology – evidence-based wellbeing programs – and those who wish to understand the benefits of positive education.

To read more visit Education HQ

How schools promote pupils’ mental wellbeing

Judith Burns | BBC News

But some heads wonder how much longer they can continue to provide in-school counseling and mentoring as budgets flatline and costs rise.

At Whalley Range High School in inner-city Manchester, students’ mental wellbeing is a priority.

“There is a lot of stress,” executive head teacher, Patsy Kane, told the BBC.

There is a waiting list for the school’s counseling service, funded from its general budget, and two specially trained support staff run a child protection service.

To read more visit BBC News

02/01/2017 | Texas | My Statesman

Texas education board approves curriculum that challenges evolution

Julie Chang | My Statesman

Texas students will continue to learn theories that challenge the scientific understanding of evolution after the State Board of Education signed off Wednesday on a preliminary version of the state’s pared-down biology curriculum.

The board, made up of 10 Republicans and five Democrats, is in the middle of whittling down the state’s voluminous curriculum standards, starting with science. Last month, a committee of mostly school district officials appointed by board members recommended paring down the language of, or removing, four standards that require the state’s high school biology students to learn about scientific phenomena that evolution can’t readily explain.

To read more visit My Statesman

State panel gives early OK for curriculum that challenges evolution

Julie Chang | My Statesman

The State Board of Education gave preliminary approval Friday to biology curriculum for public high school students that challenges the theory of evolution.

The vote gives the Texas Education Agency the OK to post the curriculum changes, which are similar to standards already in place, to the Texas Register so that the public can offer input.

Over the summer, the board tasked a committee to whittle down the high school biology curriculum standards to help teachers lessen the material they must teach. The committee voted to pare down or remove language that challenges the theory of evolution, which had been originally implemented in 2009.

To read more visit My Statesman

02/02/2017 | United States | Engadget

Snap Inc. quietly created a foundation to support arts and education

Chris Velazco | Engadget

We’ve known for a while that Snap Inc. confidentially filed for an IPO, but the official paperwork (also known as the S-1) is out and full of juicy new details. In addition to insight on how many people use Snapchat on the daily and how much ad revenue the company has brought in, the document also confirmed the company’s philanthropic ambitions.

“In February 2017, we established the Snap Foundation,” the S-1 reads. “After this offering, we and our co-founders have each pledged to donate up to 13,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock to the Snap Foundation over the course of the next 15 to 20 years. We anticipate that the proposed programs of the Snap Foundation will support arts, education, and youth.”

To read more visit Engadget

1. U.S. News & World Report – Eating Alone: How 4 Students Began Mission to End Isolation
2. NPR – For Kids, Anxiety About School Can Feel Like ‘Being Chased By A Lion’
3. edCircuit – The Waiting Game: Declining Health And Understaffed Schools