At Winward Academy, we are deeply committed to providing powerful instructional and college readiness solutions for districts, schools, after school programs, and individuals. It’s a busy time with major changes being implemented for both the ACT and SAT exams and a perpetually shifting college readiness landscape. At the same time, schools face daily challenges of how to ensure campus safety and cultivate positive mental wellness within students.
Today, we are thrilled to introduce our new Safe & Healthy Schools Initiative, expanding our support beyond college and career readiness to address critical aspects of school safety and student well-being.
Why This Initiative Matters
It’s well-established that students cannot thrive academically if they do not feel safe or mentally resilient. Recognizing this, we have partnered with experts in school safety and mental wellness to offer comprehensive training and resources that are now integrated into our platform. These programs bring unparalleled expertise from professionals with decades of experience and research.
Safe Schools: Comprehensive Training with Dr. Reid Meloy
What We Offer
Our Safe Schools program features professional development training led by Dr. Reid Meloy, a globally renowned expert in threat assessment and school safety. Dr. Meloy’s credentials include serving as the past President of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, authoring over 250 peer-reviewed papers, and consulting for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit since 2002. His work, including authoring the International Handbook of Threat Assessment, has been instrumental in advancing the field of threat management.
How It Works
The program consists of five online, self-paced modules (~1 hour each), covering essential topics such as:
- School Violence: Myths, Facts, & Foundations
- Campus Attacks & Active Shooters
- Patterns of Risk and Proximal Warning Behaviors
- Managing the Threat: Examining a School Attack and the Virginia Threat Assessment System
- More Gold Standard Programs for Strategic Prevention
These modules, along with post-module assessments, are designed to equip school administrators, teachers, counselors, psychologists, and school resource officers with the knowledge and skills needed to develop and implement effective threat assessment and management programs.
Why It’s Important
Upon completing these modules, faculty will be better equipped to prevent and respond to school safety crises, fostering a safer learning environment for all students.
Healthy Schools: Building Resilience with Mindset Moments™
What We Offer
The Mindset Moments™ program is a community-wide initiative aimed at fostering character, resilience, and relationships through structured, conversation-based lessons. Developed by Kristin MacDermott, LMFT, this program has been empirically validated by the Duke Clinical Research Institute to improve youth resilience and mental health.
How It Works
The program features “Skill of the Week” lessons, which are easy-to-use conversation starters designed for students in grades 5-12. These weekly lessons, which can be led by educators, coaches, and mentors, promote meaningful discussions that enhance personal empowerment, authentic connection, and a sense of belonging. Parents are also included, amplifying the positive impact across the community.
Why It’s Important
Engaging in these conversations helps students develop the resilience to navigate life’s challenges, fostering a culture of good communication and enabling early identification of students who may need additional support.
Seamless Integration for Maximum Impact
These resources have been seamlessly integrated into our award winning learning platform, allowing educators to focus on their core mission—teaching and learning.
- The Safe Schools training can be completed by staff on any internet-connected device and is offered asynchronously to allow for flexibility with busy educator and leaders schedules.
- Implementing the Mindset Moments™ program requires minimal training, no additional prep time for teachers, and can be completed in 15 minutes per week, making it a practical and effective solution for improving student mental well-being in a classroom setting.
Get in Touch
We are eager to discuss how one or both of these programs could enhance your community’s safe and healthy learning environment. For more detailed information, please email thomas@winwardacademy.com to schedule a brief call or meeting, or reach out with any questions you may have. We look forward to answering your questions and sharing more about our evidence-based, data-driven approach to supporting safe and healthy schools.
Do you like what you’ve read? Please click the links to share with friends or colleagues who would also benefit from an overview of current K-12 education.
About Winward Academy – Winward Academy is one of the world’s leading innovators in the online education space, providing web-based academic support that enhances students’ knowledge, confidence, and competitiveness in middle and high school academics and in college applications. We help thousands of students every year by providing personalized, comprehensive ACT and SAT test preparation and extensive math curriculum support. The Winward Academy learning platform honors over 40 years of education and cognitive psychology research, incorporating proven techniques that promote effective learning.
Winward Academy’s unmatched reputation is wholly attributable to our students’ exceptional success and to the trust earned among students, parents, and schools around the world.
