Health & Wellness · The Village School
The Village School  ·  Health & Wellness

“A place to be yourself.
No judgement. Just you.”

At TVS, social and emotional development isn’t a side program. It’s a dedicated, intentional space — supported by a professional team, grounded in research, and designed around one core belief: who you are is more important than what you know.

In their own words  ·  TVS Learners on Health & Wellness
Health and wellness is where we learn about ourselves. TVS Learner
A time where we can learn to be ourselves and who we are. TVS Learner
It’s a judgement-free zone where you can freely talk about yourself. Just a way to reflect and work on being a better person. TVS Learner
A place where you can express yourself and be really open. No judgement on anything. TVS Learner
It helps me learn about myself because I’ve been really focusing and writing things I find out about myself deep down. TVS Learner
It makes me feel like I don’t have to hide myself. TVS Learner
Three girls playing freely in a sandbox
Group of young learners on a mulch pile outdoors
Child in red fleece laughing joyfully outdoors
Two girls writing and reflecting outdoors together
Students spending time outdoors together
Group of older girls smiling in an autumn forest
Young children playing and running together outside
Girls on rocks by a creek in conversation
Child soaking wet laughing with joy outdoors

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What is Health & Wellness?

A dedicated space for self-discovery and character.

Facts can be memorized and skills can be practiced. But who you are is something you spend your whole life discovering. Health and Wellness gives learners a structured, safe, and joyful space to do exactly that — to reflect on who they are, practice being themselves, and grow their character in authentic ways.

Each session builds on a theme tied to identity and character — belonging, grace and courtesy, friendship, resilience — and is responsive to what the studios actually need. If learners are navigating friendship challenges, we meet them there. If a studio needs to deepen its sense of community, we build that together.

What it looks like
Small Group Conversations
Learners share, listen, and learn about each other — building the trust that makes everything else possible.
Journaling & Reflection
Self-portraits, “I am” poems, and written reflections that help learners put words to who they are becoming.
Role Play & Scenarios
Learners practice navigating real situations — friendships, conflict, emotions — in a safe, low-stakes environment.
Outdoor Unstructured Play
At least 3 hours per week. This is where community is truly forged and resilience is built.

“We believe that who you are is more important than what you know.”

The Village School

Outdoor Play

Where community is forged.

Every studio has at least three hours of outdoor unstructured play per week. For Discovery and Adventure learners, this means time at a nearby park — the freedom to play in a creek, compete in a soccer game, or just sit and talk. It looks informal. It is anything but.

During unstructured outdoor time, learners navigate real social challenges without adult scaffolding. They collaborate, listen, disagree, repair. They build the kind of resilience and self-awareness that cannot be taught in a classroom — only lived.

We let each other know more about us.
Health and wellness helped me make friendships that were meaningful and helped me connect with others in healthier ways.
It helps me feel more calm and I feel more like… not afraid to show my feelings.
It has helped to make me learn to like myself more.
Our Curriculum

Built around the six traits of the TVS Profile of a Learner.

Our Health and Wellness curriculum is designed to bring these traits to life through story. Learners explore the stories they tell themselves, the stories of others, and the stories they have been told about who they are — because identity is shaped by narrative, and narrative can be rewritten.

Resilience
Teamwork
Curiosity
Creativity
Meta-Strategic Thinking
Communication
Our Team

Professional support at every level.

Our Health and Wellness team meets bi-weekly with studio guides to discuss the wellbeing of the studio and individual learners — so that no child falls through the cracks, and every guide is supported in responding to what each learner needs.

Head of Counseling
Health, Wellness & Art Guide
Grounded In Research

Evidence-based frameworks for measuring what matters.

TVS uses national evidence-based standards to guide our understanding of social-emotional health — so we know what thriving actually looks like, and we notice when a learner needs more support.

Discovering your authentic self is the heartbeat of our program.

We give every learner the opportunity to realize their value, their full potential, and their positive impact on the world — ensuring they find their footing in an ever-changing one.