For the 2020-21 school year, in partnership with our Golden schools, the Golden Schools Foundation plans to fund $20,000 of instructional tools, guest speakers, Kynd Kits and professional and student forums all focused on the mental well-being of Golden students and staff.
GSF is committed to creating and supporting a positive school climate and culture in our Golden neighborhood schools and has prioritized mental wellness as an area to help develop and support. We believe that prevention and education is key in keeping our students happy, healthy and safe.
Over the years, GSF has supported Mental Wellness in our schools via our Enrichment Grants. In 2019, we established a new program in which funding will be dedicated to the support of the mental well-being of our Golden students and staff.
To kick off the 2019-2020 school year, GSF, Golden school principals and our Golden schools’ mental health support staff partnered with the Jeffco School District to bring Restorative Practices training to our Golden neighborhood schools. Restorative Practices are based on principles that focus on the importance of building positive relationships to foster caring, safe, and supportive communities and involve practices that restore and heal relationships when a conflict arises or harm has occurred. Restorative Practices, when implemented with fidelity, help to promote and enhance positive school climate and culture.
More recently due to global circumstance, our school community, including students, staff, and families, is experiencing an unprecedented event resulting in extreme levels of anxiety, isolation, and stress. Our existing Mental Wellness program will be expanded to address the impacts of this significant trauma; specifically addressing Social/Emotional needs and access to necessary instructional tools. Our hope is to provide our school communities we serve with the educational resources to champion their academic success and emotional well-being.