St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School, Sector 44-D, Chandigarh, reaffirmed its commitment to progressive and compassionate education by hosting a one-day CBSE Capacity Building Programme on the theme ‘Promoting Mental Health and Wellness’. Organised under the aegis of the CBSE Centre of Excellence, Chandigarh, this introspective and empowering workshop was conducted exclusively for the teaching faculty of St. Joseph’s to deepen their understanding of mental wellness in schools.
The session opened with a warm welcome by Principal Mrs. Monica Chawla, whose words beautifully set the tone for the day. She underscored the increasing need for mental health awareness in schools and urged educators to view emotional well-being not as an occasional consideration but as the very foundation of all meaningful learning.
The school had the honour of hosting two CBSE-accredited resource persons—Dr. Vineet Verma, Vice Principal and ATL Incharge at Shiwalik Public School, Rupnagar, and Ms. Shifalika, academic coordinator and PGT Chemistry at Chandigarh Baptist School who brought deep insight and experience to the workshop.
Dr. Verma’s session was a reflective journey into the psychology of emotional wellness. He introduced the CARE model—C for Creating awareness, A for Addressing its importance, R for Redefining the teacher’s role, and E for Elucidating innovative strategies. He emphasised that mental health is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of strength, balance, and self-awareness.
He also stressed on the importance of gratitude and empathy, explaining that practising gratitude rewires the brain for positivity, while empathy builds bridges of trust and understanding in classrooms.
Ms. Shifalika brought a global and policy-driven perspective. She explained the reasons behind happiness rankings in different countries and highlighted factors like reduced academic pressure, social equality, emotional support, and community belonging. She guided teachers through the PRASHAST App and connected it to NEP 2020’s vision for inclusive education.
The open forum that followed allowed educators to share challenges and strategies—affirming that promoting mental wellness is a shared responsibility.
The School Management Members Mr. Sukhdeep Grewal and Mr. Paramdeep Grewal, appreciated the initiative and commended the faculty for embracing their role as emotional mentors.
The revered Principal Mrs. Monica Chawla expressed heartfelt gratitude to the facilitators and urged educators to continue leading with empathy, reinforcing that every emotionally safe classroom is the foundation of lifelong learning.
The workshop concluded as a moving reminder that true educational progress begins with emotionally empowered minds and hearts.
St. Joseph's Sr. Sec. School
Sector 44-D, Chandigarh
Ph. +91 172 4639566, 2662616
