Saint Aloysius School - Pewee Valley, KY

St. Aloysius School is committed to the development of the whole child: academically, socially, and emotionally. Because of this approach, we have several opportunities for growth and understand that these areas are interrelated. In the fall of 2019, we incorporated a social-emotional learning program called Calm And Loving Minds Achieve (CALMA) to give a specific structure to our whole child approach.

CALMA is a framework that incorporates daily meditation, teacher discussion, and mindful practices at age appropriate levels for all students, K-8. Each morning students engage in a brief mindfulness meditation exercise to develop skills such as recognizing and managing emotions, developing care and concern for others, and establishing positive relationships. Research shows that mindfulness practices decrease depression, anxiety, and stress while increasing focus, academic achievement, and overall feelings of well-being. Through CALMA, we are taking full advantage of the brain's neuroplasticity at every grade level.

This curriculum was adopted in a scientific, data driven manner. Students completed age-appropriate surveys at throughout the school year. In addition to our standardized test score data, CALMA data logs were kept tracking meditation minutes, behavior incidents, and how lessons were covered. We continued these lessons even through the spring pandemic, when they became even more valuable.

Every school focuses on academic achievement. As a National Blue Ribbon School, St. Aloysius reaps the benefits of academic growth by supporting and stressing the importance of good mental health and solid interpersonal skills which truly prepares our students for real world experiences.