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  • Master of Arts in Education – working with at-risk populations
  • PA certified educator and program creator/director 
  • 15 years classroom teaching (public & private) 
  • 14 years integrating mindfulness, trauma-informed practices, executive functions training in classrooms (preK- adult), current count is 11,000 students
  • GoNoodle’s FLOW content creator – mindful practices in 550,000 classrooms worldwide
  • Mindful Practices Affect Teacher Well-Being - researched and published
  • Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation - certified
  • Trauma-Informed Approaches - trained
  • Peace Work: Mindful Lessons for the Early Years - authored 

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, Alma College, MI             1989     
  • Master of Arts in Education, Eastern Mennonite University, PA           2016
    M.A. in Education - working with at-risk populations

Certification 

  • Pennsylvania Department of Education, Elementary Education         
          Active Status                                                             1989 – present
    
  • Peace-Building and Conflict Resolution Certificate                  2017
          Eastern Mennonite University

Professional Training
  • Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Institute, Trainer Certification Training, VA
  • Trauma-Informed Somatic Approaches, Justice Institute, MA
  • Mental Health First-Aid for Educators, Mental Health America, PA
  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, PA Counseling Service, PA         
  • CASEL Training, Collaborative for Academic, Social & Emotional Learning, PA
  • Mindful Yoga Teacher Training, Kinder Associates LLC, PA
  • Responsive Classroom Teacher Training, PA 
  • Boys’ Town: Teaching Social Skills to Youth, NY                                                  
  • Student Assistance Training (SAP), IU13, PA 
  • Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) – Non-violent Intervention Training, PA 
  • Yoga Ed Teacher Training, Yoga Ed., CA
  • Social Action Teacher Training, Lineage Project, NY    

Professional Experience

Kinder Associates LLC, Wellness Works in Schools, Lancaster, PA                          2004 – present                                               
Education consultants in mindbody health and wellness. Create and teach Wellness Works in Schools™ a mindful awareness health and wellness program, integrated into diverse educational settings. The program is designed to motivate, educate and support students, classroom teachers and families in developing mental, emotional, physical, and social competencies needed to handle life’s challenges healthfully - across school, home, work and community.   Wellness Works in Schools gained national and international recognition with published articles appearing in The New York Times, Sunday Times of London, TIME for Kids, the Child Mind Institute, Lancaster Intelligencer Journal and international editions of National Geographic.  

Evidence-based Research by Cheryl Desmond, PhD, Millersville University confirms that mindful awareness school-based programs (Wellness Works in Schools) achieve positive effects on middle school (particular focus on 6th grade) students’ cognitive, physical and social behavior (see findings at www.wellnessworksinschools.com).

The Wellness Works in Schools™ program has gained national and international recognition with articles appearing in The New York Times, The Times of London, TIME for Kids, and international editions of National Geographic. An up-coming article (the Developing Brain) in National Geographic plans to include our work with children with autism and multiple disabilities.

Program Director of mindful, wellness programs in academic settings - utilizing current scientific research and proven methods, while targeting self-care, executive function skills, awareness of the stress response, trauma science and treatment - relating to the human experience (across the ages) and introducing accessible, universal strategies for resilience, recovery, and sustained well-being.

Lead Teacher 15+ weekly classes, reaching roughly 150 students (all ages); in regular education settings as well as those assigned to special education (including students on the autism spectrum and with multiple disabilities) and alternative education classrooms, predominantly in the School District of Lancaster, Elizabethtown Area School District and the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center.  

Curriculum Author of eight Wellness Works in Schools mindful awareness curricula and guidance in program implementation: 
A recent endeavor encompassed 6-10 sessions with all Edward Hand Middle School students (> 600), teacher training and behavioral workshops with targeted 8th graders, during the spring semester of 2013.
  • Mindful Well-Being (self-care content and practices for teen - adult), 
  • Mindful Emotions (6th – 12th) and Mindful Body (young adult),
  • Habits of Mind (self-awareness and mindful approaches for teen – young adult), 
  • Mindful Classroom Integration Training (for educators - pre-service & beyond), I Can Be Mindful (self-regulation for PreK – 3rd), 
  • Peace Work (inner and outer peace for PreK – 3rd), 
  • Mindful Moods
  • Mindful Choices


Classroom Teaching Experience 

School District of Lancaster (tenured)

  • Classroom Teacher (4th and 5th grades)                                          2001 – 2004

Lancaster County Day School     

  • Core Teacher (Kdg - 6th grade)                                                         1993 - 2001 

  • Dean of Students (middle school)                                                  1998 - 2001

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