Katonah‑Lewisboro school officials used the Nov. 6 board meeting to outline a districtwide "well‑being" pillar that ties classroom social‑emotional learning, counseling partnerships and athletics programs together.

Frank (district well‑being lead) described schoolwide work from kindergarten through high school: elementary book reads and classroom SEL lessons (zones of regulation, growth mindset), middle‑school wellness activities and high‑school block‑schedule adjustments that lengthen instructional time and include community lunch. "This intentional pumping of the breaks is known as wellness week," Frank said, adding that schools also deploy school social workers and clinical teams to teach SEL lessons.

Athletics director Christian summarized a pilot mental‑fitness program (Play Well Minds) run with girls lacrosse and other fall teams; coaches were trained as turnkey facilitators. "Eighty‑six percent of our athletes who took part rated it as very good or good," Christian said. A student who participated, Kate Condon, described techniques taught by the program: "There is an acronym and it's SOL ... stop, observe, assess the situation, and then let it go." Students and coaches said the practices helped players manage in‑game stress and translate coping skills to academic and home settings.

Physical education staff described changes at the high school: a two‑day workout focus with a Wednesday set aside for mindfulness, community circles and recovery (yoga, breathing, guided relaxation). Staff reported results from a recent student survey the district commissioned for PE: more than 85% of students strongly agreed or agreed that they feel a sense of belonging and are comfortable being themselves in PE; over 90% said they feel respected by teachers.

Counseling partnerships were highlighted: a tier‑1 relationship with Northwell Health will provide staff training and some family/community programming; the districtalso described a student assistance counselor at John Jay High School focusing on substance‑use prevention and small‑group supports. Adapted physical education work with SUNY Cortland and unified sports (basketball, bowling, potential bocce and flag football) were presented as expanding inclusive athletic opportunities.

Why it matters: Board members and presenters framed the initiatives as equipping students with long‑term coping skills, increasing school connectedness and giving families expanded supports. The district tied wellness, mental fitness and athletics to broader goals such as belonging, engagement and post‑secondary readiness, and said it will expand the athletic pilot into winter and spring seasons.