What is Wellbeing at NEIA?:

Wellbeing affirms that as whole beings we must integrate our physical, emotional, and cognitive selves to best thrive and function. Wellbeing unites the individual needs of students and community to foster healthy individuals and supportive interactions. Wellbeing is a way of being realized through the mindful decisions, feelings, and behaviors that represent our commitment to integrity and belonging. Wellbeing focuses on 4 core constructs that are integral to the development of fully dimensional youth; Mindwell, Bodywell, Livewell, and Learnwell. Students will develop and practice competencies and skills in these areas through the Wellbeing course, during community events, with guest speakers and in advocacy groups. Additionally, wellbeing includes resources for students that need brief, solution focused interventions in the area of counseling, learning support, and physical health.

Both our curriculum and daily practices require students that are independent, able to self-advocate, and are here to challenge themselves and develop as learners and people. We embrace and accommodate neurodiverse learners, yet also know that we do not have the capacity to provide the learning and emotional support for students needing a therapeutic environment, a one-on-one school aid, or modification to the curriculum/daily experiences.

Purpose:

To exponentially develop the skill sets students have to recognize, understand, express and integrate their needs in heart, mind, body while gaining the practical knowledge to live lives of purpose and stability.

Focusing on 4 core structures, the Wellbeing course is developmentally catered towards the needs of students and what socio-emotional and academic needs emerge based on their age. The structures include:

MINDwell: social emotional learning skills and development of emotional intelligence

BODYwell: emotional and physical body awareness (embodiment practice), mindful movement and meditation, body image, body boundaries

LIVEwell:practical knowledge to increase independent living skills in areas including finance, nutrition, homecare, automotive basics, insurance 101 and healthcare FAQ’s.

LEARNwell: executive functioning skills, study habits, and neurodiversity.

The aim of counseling services is to join in the continued effort of fostering a sense of community belonging and to help maximize academic achievement. This is achieved through:

• Health and safety assessment
• Short-term counseling support
• Partnering with other natural and formal support systems
• Referral to outside formal supports, when appropriate

School counselors may speak with innovators on a range of issues, including but not limited to coping with transition, adjustment to school or culture, self-esteem, identity, relationship issues, conflict resolution, social skills, adjustment to school/culture, gender/sex diversity, stress management, management of other psychological symptoms, conflict resolution, and other social and emotional issues that impact their learning experience.

NEIA takes a holistic approach to Learning Support. We strive to coordinate an individualized plan for qualified innovators, incorporating information gathered by our guardians, advocates and teaching staff. Learning Support is fully integrated into the academic program and skills are demonstrated or modeled through an innovator’s assigned work. Coaching sessions occur, either once or twice per week depending on demonstrated need. These sessions are designed to assess specific innovator support requirements and teach them strategies that they can apply in the context of their coursework to become independent learners. Typical academic scaffolding provided to our innovators include:

• help with understanding directions and expectations
• organization of materials and digital files
• planning of assignments
• time management
• reading comprehension strategies
• writing skills
• study skills
• self-advocacy skills

Learning Support at NEIA is designed to be transitional and lead to independence; the goal of the program is to have innovators work their way out of the program through demonstrated success.

The Health Office aims to optimize learning by fostering student health and wellness.   The school nurse functions in a pivotal role that bridges healthcare and education through provision of care coordination, advocacy for human centered health maintenance, and collaboration to design systems that allow innovators to develop their full potential.

The school nurse collaborates with the wellness department to promote the health and academic success of students while creating opportunities to build capacity for self care, resilience, and learning.