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PBIS Strategies: Evidence-Based Approaches for K-12 Schools

The need for teachers to manage disruptive behaviors in the classroom is certainly nothing new. Since the pandemic, however, educators have been reporting significant increases in aggressive, disrespectful, and inappropriate behavior and a decline in students’ social-emotional development. Furthermore, unwanted behaviors are no longer limited to small segments of students or specific schools but rather are being widely reported by districts across the country.

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unhealthy relationship with food

An Unhealthy Relationship with Food: A Growing Problem for America’s Youth

challenging classroom behaviors

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Will to Wellness

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June 20, 2023

Step 3: Data-Driven Systems for Mental Health Programs in Schools

Mental health in schools is a domain where the capture of progress monitoring data has traditionally lagged, with qualitative descriptions of student progress being more common than quantitative measures.
mental health awareness in schools

June 27, 2024

Step 4 – Building Mental Health Awareness in Schools

As the youth mental health crisis rages on, educators and policymakers must take quick and definitive steps to raise awareness of mental health issues in our schools, our homes, and our communities.

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pbis strategies

July 17, 2025

PBIS Strategies: Evidence-Based Approaches for K-12 Schools

The need for teachers to manage disruptive behaviors in the classroom is certainly nothing new. Since the pandemic, however, educators have been reporting significant increases in aggressive, disrespectful, and inappropriate behavior and a decline in students’ social-emotional development. Furthermore, unwanted behaviors are no longer limited to small segments of students or specific schools but rather are being widely reported by districts across the country.
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examples of mental health programs in schools

July 3, 2025

4 Best Examples of Successful School Mental Health Programs

School-based mental health services had become increasingly popular in the decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the explosion of distress levels coupled with the influx of pandemic-related funding opportunities led to an even greater presence of mental health services in school settings. As schools and society at large continue to adapt to a new normal, it may be a good time to step back and reassess the scope and effectiveness of school-based programs.
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therapy dogs in schools

June 24, 2025

How Therapy Dogs in Schools Can Improve Student Mental Health

Over time, dogs have proven highly effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, not just in veterans but also in the wider population. Studies have shown that short-term, unstructured interactions with a therapy dog can significantly reduce anxiety and distress levels. This same study showed similar effects on children.
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school refusal interventions

June 10, 2025

School Refusal Interventions: Evidence-Based Solutions

School refusal behavior (also known as school avoidance), on the other hand, is largely an anxiety-based condition. It is not a psychiatric diagnosis per se, but rather it is a complex syndrome influenced by temperament, genetics, cognitive factors, plus family and school environments. It affects both boys and girls and can involve an unwillingness to attend school at all, and/or an inability to remain in school for the entire day.
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summer and mental health

May 13, 2025

Summer and Mental Health: Creating a Summer Safety Plan

Moods shift when May approaches, as rigid schedules filled with alarm clocks, bells and packed agendas are finally coming to an end. To ensure a safe, supportive and mentally healthy season, schools and families should work together to establish a summer safety plan for students that continues to provide much-needed structure and resources for families to promote a sense of wellbeing and stability for the student.
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middle school behavior management

May 8, 2025

5 Effective Middle School Behavior Management Strategies​ in 2025

The mere mention of the words “middle school” can be enough to send chills up the spines of educators, parents, and students. The middle school years are widely recognized as a time when chaos can ensue because of the intersection of hormonal changes, increased academic demands, and a growing orientation toward peer relationships instead of family relationships. It is also the time when certain neurodevelopmental, mental health, or medical symptoms might manifest for the first time or worsen due to both brain and biological maturation.
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