Mindful Practices

Mindful Practices Mindful Practices offers extensive and engaging programming for school districts, such as student so

All teachers and students have the knowledge, resources and opportunities to be physically and mentally well and to achieve their highest potential. When teachers and students experience a sense of physical and mental well-being and come to love who they are, they
*Live healthier lives
*Become more invested learners
*Develop stronger connections to the people and world around them
*Become more responsible, compassionate citizens of the world

Most school district budgets that go unspent in June were never wasted on purpose. They sat because the available option...
06/11/2026

Most school district budgets that go unspent in June were never wasted on purpose. They sat because the available options didn’t feel right.

Here’s what we’d offer for budget season: SDIG and Title 2 funds (and CPS 353/115) can fund system-building for adult well-being, not more one-off sit and get sessions.

A program adds to your team’s plate. A system removes things from it by catching what would have become a crisis, giving teachers a real channel for voice, and holding leaders in cohort instead of leaving them to manage it alone.

What “eligible for adult well-being investment” actually covers in our work:

→ Admin Academy (Illinois Administrator Academy credits + Collective Well-Being Framework). Eligible.
→ Year-round teacher well-being PD that teachers help design. Eligible.
→ Pulse Check (continuous educator well-being data infrastructure). Eligible.
→ New Teacher Onboarding with structured peer mentoring. Eligible.

The question for June isn’t “should we use this budget?” It’s “are we using it on programs that end, or systems that compound?”

If your fiscal year ends June 30 and there’s budget on the table, this is the conversation worth having.

What’s one system you’d fund right now if the budget conversation actually started with that question?

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and many educators and leaders are opening inboxes filled with webinars, resources, ...
05/20/2026

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and many educators and leaders are opening inboxes filled with webinars, resources, reminders, and calls to action. The care behind it is real, and the intention is important.

What our team keeps coming back to, though, is this: the strongest mental health support in schools is rarely a standalone initiative. It grows out of systems that consistently support adult well-being before stress reaches a crisis point.

When educators have regular opportunities to honestly share how they are doing, when leadership creates rhythms of support and connection, and when staff feel safe asking for help early, schools are able to respond with care long before burnout takes hold. A quick check-in, a supportive conversation, or a trusted peer connection can change the trajectory for someone who may otherwise have struggled silently.

To us, Mental Health Awareness Month is also a reminder that well-being is shaped by design. The systems, practices, and relationships we build inside schools either create space for support or leave educators carrying challenges alone and that work matters deeply.

I used to think Teacher Appreciation Week was the moment that mattered most.If we got the celebrations right, the breakf...
05/18/2026

I used to think Teacher Appreciation Week was the moment that mattered most.

If we got the celebrations right, the breakfasts, the notes, the small surprises, then we were doing right by our teachers.

But what I started noticing was the week after.

Everything went right back to normal. Full schedules. Limited planning time. Constant demands. And teachers who had just been celebrated were suddenly back in exhaustion with very little space to say what they actually needed.

That is the gap we have to pay attention to.

Recognition matters, but it only works when it is supported by systems that continue to care for people long after the celebration ends.

The question we are asking with district leaders now is simple. What would the week after look like if we designed it with teachers in mind from the start?

Because what we build in the spring is what teachers return to in August.

As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close and the school year begins winding down, many leaders are reflecting on ho...
05/08/2026

As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close and the school year begins winding down, many leaders are reflecting on how to continue supporting educators well beyond a week of celebration.

The most meaningful next step is not necessarily one more thank-you note. It may be taking a moment to ask:
What did this week reveal about the ways we already support our staff, and where do we still have opportunities to grow?

For many schools, Teacher Appreciation Week highlights both the care that already exists and the desire to build more consistent systems of support throughout the year.

The districts we see making the strongest strides in educator well-being often begin with intentional and sustainable practices. It does not have to happen all at once. Strong systems are built over time through consistency, trust, and intentional care.

This weekend, we hope educators and school leaders alike find moments to rest and recharge. And as the work continues on Monday, we hope the conversation around supporting the adults who care for students continues too.

If you could introduce one new support system for staff next school year, what would you start with?

Teacher Appreciation Week is in full swing, and across schools everywhere, educators are being celebrated in thoughtful ...
05/06/2026

Teacher Appreciation Week is in full swing, and across schools everywhere, educators are being celebrated in thoughtful and meaningful ways. The cards, breakfasts, kind messages, and moments of recognition matter deeply, and teachers deserve every bit of that appreciation. 💙

At the same time, many school leaders know that the most impactful support for educators is not built in a single week. It is built in the everyday moments throughout the year when teachers feel seen, supported, and cared for as people, not just professionals.

The educators who feel valued in May are often the same ones who experienced connection and support back in October. They had space to share when things felt heavy, leaders who checked in with care, and systems that made support feel normal rather than reactive.

That is why we continue to believe that appreciation is not just something we say. It is something we design into the culture and rhythms of a school community over time.

As we celebrate educators this week, we are also reflecting on an important question for the year ahead:
What would it look like if the care we show during Teacher Appreciation Week was woven into the way we support staff all year long?

✨ We are celebrating educators all week long with giveaways, resources, and surprises on our X/Twitter pages. Join us as we continue sharing the love and uplifting the incredible people who support students every day.

https://x.com/classcatalyst https://x.com/MindfulSEL

🎉 Day 2 brings a little joy 💙Win a swag bag from Mindful Practices 🎁To enter:💬 Share how you bring positivity to your le...
05/05/2026

🎉 Day 2 brings a little joy 💙

Win a swag bag from Mindful Practices 🎁

To enter:
💬 Share how you bring positivity to your learning community✨
🔁 Follow
👥 Tag 3 educators

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and we are sharing the love!All week long, Class Catalyst and Mindful Practices are cele...
05/04/2026

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and we are sharing the love!

All week long, Class Catalyst and Mindful Practices are celebrating educators who make well-being part of every school day.

Visit our Txitter pages every day for giveaways, resources, and a few surprises you won't want to miss. https://x.com/classcatalyst https://x.com/MindfulSEL

Follow along, tag a your teacher besties, and stay tuned. It's going to be a great week!

🎉 Today is the day!Join Mindful Practices and Class Catalyst for our next POP Session:Moving from Spring Fever to a Stro...
04/30/2026

🎉 Today is the day!

Join Mindful Practices and Class Catalyst for our next POP Session:

Moving from Spring Fever to a Strong Finish: Supporting Educators Through the Final Stretch

🗓 Today
⏰ 2:30–3:00 CST

If the end of the year is feeling like a lot, you are not alone. This session will give you real time strategies to stay regulated, protect your energy, and support your students through the final stretch.

✨ Come as you are. Leave with tools you can use right away.

👉 Save your spot and join us: https://ow.ly/cc0H50YSsVI

Illinois IEA Members, This One Is for You 💙Join Carla Tantillo Philibert, founder of Mindful Practices and Co Founder of...
04/28/2026

Illinois IEA Members, This One Is for You 💙

Join Carla Tantillo Philibert, founder of Mindful Practices and Co Founder of Class Catalyst, for an interactive session focused on the Collective Well Being Framework. Together, you will explore practical, actionable strategies to support your own mental health while continuing to care for those you serve.

This is more than a session. It is a space to connect, reflect, and collaborate with fellow educators who understand the importance of balance, support, and sustainability in this work.

Attend for FREE as an IEA member

🗓 Tuesday, May 5 | 5:30 to 8:00 PM
📍 Bloomington IEA Office

🗓 Thursday, May 7 | 5:00 to 7:00 PM
📍 Carterville IEA Office

Light dinner will be provided.

Take this time for yourself. You deserve it.
Register for free today! https://ow.ly/b54Q50YRccg

🌟 Teacher Appreciation Week is almost here and we will be celebrating all week long! 🦋Get ready for daily giveaways desi...
04/28/2026

🌟 Teacher Appreciation Week is almost here and we will be celebrating all week long! 🦋

Get ready for daily giveaways designed with your well-being in mind… think gift cards ☕, swag 🎁, books 📖, and something BIG to support your growth 🌞

👀 Keep an eye on our socials next week
💬 Be ready to like, share, and tag your educator community
✨ And treat yourself while we celebrate all you do for students and each other

Thank you for all you do for so many!

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Oak Park, IL
60302

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