St. John's Episcopal School

Dr. Nancy Avery is the Director of Mental Health and Wellness at St. John’s Episcopal School. Her work focuses on fostering student well-being, strengthening supportive relationships and cultivating a compassionate school culture.

Building a Culture of Care

Throughout my career in social work, mental health, hospice care and education, I have learned that meaningful support begins not with a program or intervention, but with our willingness to understand the people we serve.

These experiences have shaped my approach to leadership and reinforced my belief that creating a culture of wellness requires intentionality, meaningful relationships and genuine compassion.

Leading through a Mental Health Lens

My foundation in social work has fundamentally shaped how I approach leadership by emphasizing the importance of understanding the whole child. Social Work teaches us to look beyond presenting behaviors and consider the complex experiences, relationships and environments influencing an individual’s well-being.

Family dynamics, trauma, grief, social pressures and other life circumstances can significantly influence a student’s mental health, emotional well-being and ability to engage in learning. In education, this means recognizing that students do not arrive at school disconnected from the challenges outside of the classroom.

As leaders, we must ask not only what is happening to a student but how those experiences have shaped what they believe about themselves, others and the world around them. Embracing this understanding allows us, as educators, to create environments that acknowledge students’ circumstances while ensuring that they never define their potential.

Building Wellness Programs through Relationships and Student Voice

Developing a comprehensive mental health and wellness program begins with understanding the needs of the school community. While traditional data is important, student voice provides an invaluable perspective into the strengths and challenges of a school community. Their voice provides unique insight into what is working, where gaps exist, and what additional support may be needed. This feedback should play a significant role in shaping the direction of a school’s wellness program.

Equally important is the collaboration with teachers, administrators and other staff whose interactions with students provide pivotal information that may not be captured through formal assessments. Taking the time to build on these relationships allows us to develop more meaningful support. When students, families, teachers and school leaders have opportunities to share their perspectives and contribute to solutions, we create programs that truly reflect the needs of the community rather than what we can assume those needs to be.

Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety

Creating a school environment where students feel safe seeking mental health support requires a culture grounded in trust, connection and psychological safety. Students need to know that the adults around them are approachable and safe, that their voices matter and that seeking help will be met with compassion.

However, we cannot expect educators to consistently create these environments for students if they do not experience that same sense of trust and safety themselves. When teachers and staff feel valued and supported, they are better positioned to build meaningful student relationships and respond to students’ needs with increased empathy.

School leaders have a responsibility to create a culture where educators feel that their voices are valued and where seeking support is met with the same compassion we expect them to extend to students. When both students and adults experience trust and a genuine sense of belonging, we are able to create a strong foundation for a school community where everyone has an opportunity to be successful.

Moving From Initiatives to Lasting Culture

Sustainable wellness programs require us to move beyond isolated initiatives and embed mental health into the culture and everyday practices of our school. This includes prioritizing prevention, providing professional learning opportunities, strengthening relationships, engaging families and continuously evaluating whether our efforts are effectively meeting the needs of our students and community. Lasting change occurs when wellness is viewed as a shared commitment woven into the day-to-day culture of the school.