WELLNESS AT MARVELWOOD
Like our approach to academics, we know that wellness is not a “one size fits all” curriculum. We seek to incorporate wellness and mindfulness into many different aspects of the Marvelwood experience, encouraging and empowering all members of our community to understand and guide their own well-being. Community members are introduced to a variety of approaches to wellness. Space and opportunity are created for individuals to discover what methods and approaches work best for them as they work through challenges, focus on their physical and mental health, and integrate their learning and healing to become the best versions of themselves. Our goal is to plant the seeds and provide the tools that will allow each person to develop the tools and understanding to identify and address their own unique wellness needs.
Some of the many ways in which wellness is thoughtfully and intentionally incorporated into our programming include:
In both academic classes and elective courses like “Mindfulness and Yoga,” students enjoy opportunities for brief or extended self-checks throughout the school day.
Our Advisory curriculum includes weekly check-ins that focus on proactive practices of introspection, goal-setting, reflection, and communication geared to finding success both in and out of the classroom.
Several weeks each term, Enrichment workshops and special events address various topics including healthy relationships, nutrition, cooking, yoga and mindfulness, digital citizenship, hidden history, and more.
After-school programming provides daily opportunities for exercise, physical activity, intensive engagement in the arts, or meditative work in the garden. Coaches and supervisors work to instill the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, positive self-talk, goal-setting, and resiliency.
Cultural and social awareness initiatives like IDEAS and CASA challenge all members of our school community to question and reflect intentionally upon the way we see the world, how and why we may categorize and judge others both consciously and unconsciously, and how to expand our understanding as we work to become better, more thoughtful, and deeply committed global citizens.
In all of their work with students, Marvelwood’s faculty and staff endeavor to strike a balance that teaches resilience and grit in an atmosphere of empathy and genuine understanding of each individual’s strengths and challenges.
HEALTH SERVICES
Marvelwood's Health Office provides a full range of on-site health services to students. The nursing staff offers a friendly and warm environment, with full confidentiality. Our medical director is Dr. Roman Alder of New Milford Pediatrics. In-person appointments with Dr. Alder and other specialists can be arranged through the Health Office.
COUNSELING SERVICES
Our on-staff school counselors work to respond to and support students' ongoing individual development. Counselors assist students in working through normative developmental hurdles, fostering adaptive solutions, and developing a strong sense of self. In addition, counselors work closely with parents. Counselors are available to provide brief psychotherapy and other interventions directly to students utilizing motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral strategies. There is no charge for sessions with our on-staff counselors.
Parents and students can schedule appointments with a counselor via email: counseling@marvelwood.org or by contacting the Health Office or Dean of Students. At the student's first visit, students can discuss their concerns and treatment options. Together, the counselor and student will coordinate on future appointments. The School also works with a local psychiatrist, Dr. John Ewing, who provides medication consultation and management on campus as needed, and with community mental health clinicians. The cost of Dr. Ewing's services is the responsibility of the student's family.
Options may include:
Drop-in or ongoing counseling with one of our on-staff school counselors
Coordinated discussions with parents
Referral to a community provider for psychological testing
Medications prescribed by our consulting psychiatrist, Dr. John Ewing
