Reflections of Havergal: 1994-2019

S C H O O L L I F E

Wellness “Wellness is an approach to life. We look at the student as a whole person, taking into account her emotional, intellectual and physical needs” — SHELLEY FRANK, TORCH, FALL 2001

has done, by being open to new ideas and by encouraging reflection and revision, by making certain that all those responsible for students’ welfare work together to support the girls as they discover who they are and what they can do. Prayers offers opportunities for students and adults alike to share their understanding of health and wellness. On November 13, 1997, for example, Ms. Robson spoke about mental health to Upper School students, where she made the following observations: [There are] two words that I think are important to good mental health. The first is sensitive. If we are in good mental health, we feel. We feel happy and sad. [We feel] hope and despair, pleasure and anger—in fact, the whole array of human emotions. You can think of each emotion as occurring on a continuum. At one end of the continuum, we feel just a little twitch of guilt, or pride, or whatever the emotion is, and at the other end of the spectrum, we are completely filled with it so that there is no room for anything else. Any feeling will not last a lifetime (whether we want it to or not) because … change is inevitable. We would not be mentally well if we were to feel happy, or angry, or compassionate, or jealous all day every day. The second word … that is very important [is] responsible. You see, different emotions make us want to act in different ways. We cannot be held responsible

Torch , Fall 2001.

Havergal’s appreciation of the whole girl did not begin with the adoption of Strategic Plan 2009–14. Since the school was founded, its mission has been to nurture the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development of each girl. A student who makes a difference for good in the world is one who can respond fully to the challenges she faces. Most people would agree, however, that changes in the wider world since 1994 have made the future much more uncertain. How then does an educational institution bolster students’ well-being? It does so by doing as Havergal

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