Spreading the Whole Child Model in Dual Pandemics: Conditions for Effective Implementation

Abstract

Transcend is a national education nonprofit that supports school communities in creating and spreading extraordinary equitable learning environments. One of the learning environments Transcend is working to spread is the Whole Child Model. This model was codified from the work of Van Ness Elementary School in DC Public Schools and elevates the importance of well-being and mental health in all aspects of school design. In my role as a resident at Transcend, I led the work to develop the strategy to support schools in building the conditions needed to implement the Whole Child Model. The 2020–2021 context of raging dual pandemics of racial violence and COVID-19 made the work of focusing on student and educator well-being especially relevant. That very same context made moving new initiatives forward more complicated. This capstone explores the following questions: What conditions are foundational for a school’s readiness to adopt the Student Well-Being component Whole Child model, or their own model that centers wellbeing? How do we select for critical starting conditions in a way that is both effective and equitable? From there, how do we support schools to further strengthen their conditions and position them to implement successfully?