A Celebration of Dr. Chris Mason's Career

Dr. Christine Y. Mason, the Founder, Executive Director (retired), and now Senior Scholar of the Center for Educational Improvement has not only talked the talk but has walked the walk throughout her remarkable career.

Throughout the course of her learning and teaching, she found the common threads that connect neuroscience to heart centered compassion, and intricately wove them together, cultivating mindful happiness along her path.

With great respect and affection,

Jill Flanders

CEI Executive Director

Read more notes from Dr. Mason's colleagues, partners, and collaborators.

A Holistic Education: Integrating Social and Emotional Learning with Academics

Meghan Wenzel, CEI Researcher & Co-Editor, and Renee Owens, Researcher, Author, Consultant & Teacher

One of the debates in K12 education today is whether Social Emotional Learning (SEL) – think emotional intelligence training for kids – belongs in schools or if educators should just stick to covering traditional academics. Should student mental health come first? Or should academics come first?

There is strong neuroscience research that if the part of a student's brain that governs emotion is focused on fear, avoiding threats, and survival, the student will be challenged to access the learning center of their brain (National Scientific Council, 2014).

Moving Towards a Holistic Approach to Education 



Two recent episodes of CEI’s Cultivating Resilience podcast explored SEL and a compassionate, holistic education. In episode 45, Following a Compassionate, Holistic Approach with Students, Drs. Renee Owen and Christine Mason explored visioning and building schools focused on the whole child. They delved into The Rainbow Community School in Asheville, North Carolina as a case study of trauma-informed visioning and weaving understanding and support into the fabric of schools. Learnings included crafting visions that prioritize relationships, well-being, and spiritual connections and fostering student growth beyond traditional academic metrics.

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New Initiative: Cultivating Happiness in Schools

Chandni Lal, CEI Research Assistant

A parent’s biggest hope is for their child to be successful in all aspects of their life, including career, well-being, and character. Parents trust schools to teach their kids the essential skills and knowledge for their child's prosperous journey through life. However, schools aren’t always living up to parents’ expectations, particularly as educators face increasing barriers and stressors along with limited resources.  

Declining Student Mental Health 

Many students fail to properly regulate their emotions and lack essential well-being skills. After the emergence of COVID-19, the prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% globally according to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2022). 

The CDC collected data from a nationally representative sample of public and private school students each year, which showed an increase in suicide attempts overall, particularly among female, non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and 12th-grade students between 2009 and 2019 (Ivey-Stephenson et al., 2020). Overall, 18.8% of students reported having seriously considered suicide in 2019, 15.7% of students had made a plan about how they would attempt suicide, and 8.9% of students had attempted suicide one or more times (Ivey-Stephenson et al., 2020). 

The escalating rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts underscore the critical link between poor mental health and suicidal behavior. Now more than ever students need comprehensive mental health supports and interventions.

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Building a Great School Climate to Improve Learning

Meghan Wenzel, CEI Researcher & Co-Editor

When students walk into school each morning, how do they feel? Do they feel safe? A sense of belonging? Respected? Cared for? Known? Liked? When teachers walk into their buildings and classrooms, how do they feel? Supported? Motivated? Part of a community? Students’, teachers’, school staff’s, and parents’ feelings about and experiences of school reflect the broader school climate and culture. 

What is School Climate and Why is it Important?

School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. It reflects norms, goals, values, relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures (National School Climate Center, 2021).

School connectedness and climate play a key role in learning and healthy adolescent development and protect against health risk behavior such as substance use, risky sexual behavior, violence, and emotional distress (Resnick et al., 1997). Peer-reviewed educational research has consistently demonstrated that a positive school climate is associated with academic achievement, effective risk prevention efforts, and positive youth development (National School Climate Center, 2021).

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