Add as a preferred source on Google

VS America to Discuss How Physical Spaces Impact Student Well-Being

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/09/21

VS America, a full-service manufacturer of school and office furniture, will host a webinar on Friday, March 19, discussing the opportunities and obstacles facing students as they return to school. The conversation will feature four panelists and focus on the impact of physical learning spaces on students’ mental and emotional well-being.

A survey of high-school students conducted by America’s Promise Alliance has revealed the various negative effects of COVID-19 in areas like social connection, emotional health, and learning time. Results show that 29% of students surveyed don’t feel connected to others, while 25% have difficulty sleeping due to negative emotions and 38% are concerned about their present and future education opportunities. The return to in-person learning, in other words, will entail much more than just catching up on the finer points of trigonometry.

Student well-being webinar

The webinar’s panelists include:

  • Dr. RJ Webber, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction at Novi Community Schools in Novi, Mich.
  • Dr. Caelan Soma, Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Trainer at Starr Commonwealth
  • Jill Ackers, Learning Designer at Fielding International
  • Roger B. Fisher, Associate Director of the Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) at the University of Michigan

According to a press release, the webinar is slated to cover “how schools can create spaces to allow for the healing and connectivity needed.”

You can register here to attend. Attendees will also receive a free 6-month subscription to Starr Commonwealth’s “on-demand, trauma-informed, resilience-focused professional development.” The event will take place from 12:00–1:30 p.m. Eastern Time (9:00–10:30 a.m. Pacific Time) on Friday, March 19.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • Pittsburgh High School Upgrades Athletics Facilities’ Technology

    Plum Senior High School in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently partnered with South-Dakota-based Daktronics through the We’re All Mustangs Here Foundation to upgrade the technology in its athletics facilities, according to a news release. Daktronics designed, built, and installed new LED video displays and finished the project in time for the beginning of the 2025 high-school football season.

  • Recent University of Pennsylvania Projects Receive LEED Certifications

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently announced that three of its recent construction projects have earned LEED certifications, according to university news. The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) received a LEED Platinum certification, Amy Gutmann Hall a LEED Gold, and the OTT Center for Track and Field a LEED silver.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

Digital Edition