It is important to understand the most helpful ways to support a school or district’s unique educational community before attempting to select or implement any Whole-School Mindfulness programs or practices. There are several areas to investigate during this initial Exploration Phase, as outlined below.

• Assess Needs – Identify the primary needs and current conditions of the whole school community, with a focus on wellbeing.
• Assess Fit – Engage with teachers and school staff, as well as students and the wider educational community, to understand how mindfulness could fit within the existing culture, climate, and context.
• Assess Capacity – Take inventory of the resources currently available to support Whole-School Mindfulness within the school or district. For example, financial and human resources, individuals with existing skills and interest, buy-in from management and leadership, supportive organizational policies and procedures, and access to professional development.

Research available school-based mindfulness programs and practices and decide which of these would best meet the specific needs of the school community. Carry out a full evidence-based assessment of any potential intervention.

Explore how Whole-School Mindfulness would align with the current mission, vision, values, and existing structures of the educational environment and consider adding a more specific focus on wellbeing if this does not exist already. Ensure that systems are in place to track changes that occur as a result of Whole-School Mindfulness implementation.

Consider running brief introductory mindfulness sessions for individuals within the school environment to demonstrate the potential benefits that these types of programs and practices can offer. Encourage those in leadership roles to engage in mindfulness-based professional development during this phase so that they can model and support Whole-School Mindfulness later.