Central Bucks to pilot Penn State 'CARE' mindfulness training for educational leaders

Central Bucks School District officials heard Feb. 6 about a planned two‑year pilot to provide CARE (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education) mindfulness and resilience training for educational leaders, with an eye toward training internal facilitators to sustain the work.

Todd Cantrell, a house principal at CB West, described the effects of chronic stress on school leaders and introduced the training’s goals. A presenter identified in the meeting as Sabrina, a researcher who has studied mindfulness programs, explained CARE’s history and evidence base and how the curriculum will be modified for leaders.

Nut graf: District organizers said the pilot will offer one summer training this year and another next year, conduct surveys in spring and fall, and train district facilitators so the practice can continue beyond the initial sessions.

Sabrina said CARE was developed for educators and has been researched since about 2009, with randomized controlled trials showing improvements in emotion regulation, compassion, self‑awareness and decreases in psychological and physical distress. She described program components planned for leaders including autonomic nervous‑system regulation (breathing practices), body‑awareness exercises and instruction in compassionate leadership and self‑care.

The presentation stressed that CARE for leaders will include additional emphasis on physical health effects of stress in midlife and on balancing individual well‑being with organizational demands. Sabrina said the research team will offer training to half of the district’s educational leaders this summer and the other half next year, allowing comparative survey analysis between cohorts.

District staff asked about long‑term follow through and succession planning; presenters said training internal facilitators and ongoing connections with the Penn State team will enable sustainment and onboarding of new leaders. Cantrell said initial participation will be voluntary and that administrators had already volunteered in response to district outreach.

Ending: The item was informational; the committee thanked the presenters and noted enthusiasm among staff. No formal board action was recorded at the Feb. 6 meeting.