Committed to mental health

Casa Familiar program began in 2013

This October we sought to raise awareness about mental health and the importance of having emotional, psychological and social well-being.

At Instituto Nueva Escuela (INE) we believe in the emotional, psychological and social well-being that children and youth must have for their learning process, so it is not seen in a distanced way.

Thus, Casa Familiar program becomes a very necessary tool within Montessori school communities, offering psychological services, workshops, recreational therapies and accompaniment to students and their families free of charge.

An example is the Casa Familiar of the Montessori school Delia Dávila de Cabán, which has been serving the Levittown community in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico for seven years.

During this month, in the framework of mental health, Casa Familiar joined a Home Depot effort at this school to do a mental health exercise with participating students.

In addition, they carried out the activity “Tenemos algo que decirte” in which students, after lunch, were invited by Casa Familiar to sit and read a book. A large book with a great message created by the coordinator of Casa Familiar at the school, Luz Rivera Ocasio and her assistant Dianelys Barreto.

Delia Dávila de Cabán Montessori school serves students from Early Childhood to Elementary II

The book had phrases like: You are valuable. You are important. You are smart. You are brave. At the end it made them an invitation, “I'll invite you a hug if you need it”, followed by a question from Luz and Dianelys, Do you need it?

The current coordinator, Luz Rivera, has remained at the same school for the 7 years of the project

From children to adults, they received hugs and affirmations to continue their day and remind them how wonderful they are and that Casa Familiar is here to help them.

“We want to value and respect their emotions. Let them know that we have positive qualities that help us go further. And let them know that mental health is just as important as our physical health,” Luz shared about the end of the activity.

After reading, the students were able to draw the quality that distinguishes them and place it on a school board prepared for this activity.

The levels of Elementary I and Elementary ll participated in this activity, while the “little brains” on the edge are from Early Childhood.

The school director, Wilnelia Cabrera Gil, recognizes one thing, that this program not only benefits the students, but also the faculty, being an important tool for the well-being of the school's collective.