Once Whole-School Mindfulness programs and practices officially begin in a school or district, the focus should shift from preparation to managing change, supporting staff, and responding to additional needs. The Implementation Phase is also the time to start collecting data and tracking process outcomes of new initiatives.

Provide coaching and technical assistance to support staff in their own mindfulness practice so that they can model and teach these skills to students and other members of the educational community. Staff may benefit from professional learning communities for support and mentorship.

Ensure that Whole-School Mindfulness is implemented through both informal practice and formal systemic structures. Integrating practices like a ‘mindful minute’ before a meeting, making physical space available to promote wellbeing, and making sure teachers and school staff have uninterrupted time for personal mindfulness are examples of informal embedding. Having formal policies and clear organizational communication on mindfulness is also vital.

Respect and accommodate individual choice throughout the implementation process. Whole-School Mindfulness should invite willing engagement rather than be coercive. Teachers, staff, and students all need to have the opportunity to experiment and step back when uncomfortable.

Carry out process evaluation and share feedback with staff in a clear and supportive way. Remember that Whole-School Mindfulness is intentionally oriented rather than goal oriented so results can be difficult to measure.