A New Focus on Student Wellness

By Francesca Pileggi ‘06, School Counselor and Director of Wellness

Archmere is widely recognized for its academic excellence and ability to cultivate intellectual creativity through its rigorous academic program. However, during my semesterly meetings with students, I repeatedly hear a different response when I ask students their favorite thing about Archmere. During these meetings, the word community comes up so often; it’s no surprise it’s one of Archmere’s core values. I believe that connection is a large part of what enables students to succeed in The Nest provides a variety their academic pursuits. Small class sizes, devoted faculty, and supportive peers of student-focused, data- contribute to an Archmere community unlike any other. Yet, to me, Archmere is so much more than the exceptional academic learning within its classrooms. It’s driven programming to the students who help their classmates on crutches without being asked. It’s the nurture students’ overall invested teachers who genuinely care about their students’ success both on and off-campus. It’s the senior who sits with the ninth-grader eating lunch alone on physical, social, and emotional the first day of school. wellbeing and provide a place This year, I am excited and grateful to have an opportunity to deliberately enrich for students to recharge and the connections and resources that already exist within this robust community through The Nest. Learning and growing cannot adequately occur when students gain coping strategies. are not physically and emotionally healthy. As a college preparatory institution, we also recognize that transitioning to college involves more than just academic preparedness. We are invested in our students’ overall well-being. We want them to be the best scholars and the best artists, athletes, sons/daughters, musicians, siblings, friends, and human beings they can be. The idea for The Nest was born out of a conversation between Archmere principal Katie Thiel and me about Archmere’s commitment to student wellness. We wanted to develop a program that intentionally invested in students’ physical, social, and emotional well-being through various avenues.

I was inspired by a phrase seniors display on posters as they enthusiastically welcome new students at Orientation: “Welcome to the nest.” As Auks, we passionately welcome new students to the nest, where we hope they will gain knowledge and skills, develop their gifts and talents, and grow into empathetic leaders prepared for every good work. The Nest serves as both a metaphor and an acronym. I envision a nest as a safe place that provides the nourishment needed for growth and development. As an acronym, NEST also represents our objective: nurturing every student to thrive. When students leave our nest after four short years, I hope that they have the academic and social, emotional, and physical skills they need to truly thrive in adulthood. The Nest provides a variety of student-focused, data-driven programming to nurture students’ overall physical, social, and emotional well being and provides a place for students to recharge and gain coping strategies. It intentionally encompasses and utilizes the entire Archmere community to best position students for success beyond the classroom. Adolescence represents an important time of transition and growth, so I am thrilled and thankful to develop and implement this added layer of support for our students. I hope that Archmere and the Nest have a significant positive impact that our students will carry into their bright futures.

Nurturing Every Student to Thrive

Components of The Nest include:

• Completion of the Centers for Disease Control’s National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which will provide insight into student engagement in health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth • A comprehensive Health curriculum for ninth and tenth-grade students that integrates subject matter experts in different health fields • A “Supporting Your Student” parent workshop series that provides parents with information, skills, and strategies to support their children’s social, emotional, and physical wellbeing • A resource library developed with the assistance of the subject matter experts who contribute to the health curriculum • Connectedness efforts that intentionally forge connection among members of the Archmere community • An Orientation 2.0 activity period that assists ninth-grade students in their adjustment to Archmere by providing regular opportunities for mentorship from upperclassmen, social interaction, and skill development during the first semester • The development of a team of Aevidum Ambassadors, trained peer support students who are prepared to assist struggling students and guide them to adult support, and who will provide student voice for The Nest programming