"The most powerful forces for innovation in our schools are the people:
educators, students, and families." Dr. Megan Sweet
Dr. Megan Sweet is a career educator who left her work in school districts to dedicate herself to fixing the broken education system.
For too long, we have undervalued educators. The pandemic has brought to light the hard work of leading schools and the value that teachers provide to their students and their classrooms. Change is possible if we invest in our educators and in our school communities. The change begins when we value ourselves and prioritize our self-care. |
Transforming Our Systems from the Inside Out
It's time to stop waiting for our school systems to change. We have the power within us to create meaningful changes in our lives that can transform the system from the inside out.
Embarking on this change requires a commitment to ourselves and our own wellbeing. While prioritizing ourselves is counterintuitive to most educators, the cycle of overwork and exhaustion is not working and is causing increasing numbers of educators to leave the profession.
It is time to break the cycle. When educators are resourced and rested, they have the capacity to meet the challenges of today's schools and create empowering and inclusive learning experiences for students.
This three-part change starts with Self-Work, moves on to School-Work, and leads to Community Impact.
Embarking on this change requires a commitment to ourselves and our own wellbeing. While prioritizing ourselves is counterintuitive to most educators, the cycle of overwork and exhaustion is not working and is causing increasing numbers of educators to leave the profession.
It is time to break the cycle. When educators are resourced and rested, they have the capacity to meet the challenges of today's schools and create empowering and inclusive learning experiences for students.
This three-part change starts with Self-Work, moves on to School-Work, and leads to Community Impact.
Whole System Reform
We nurture our Internal System through self-care and developing our emotional intelligence. As we support ourselves, we gain the capacity and awareness to be the change we want to see in our schools.
Self-Work |
We change the School System through building trusting and collaborative relationships with students, staff and parents. Together, we create the changes we envision for our schools.
School Work |
Our improved schools enhance their local communities and the empowered students who emerge from our schools transform our Social Systems.
Community Impact |
Testimonials
My almost 30 years of experience, combined with specialized training and lots of on-the-job practice, have made me a bit of a unicorn! I am able to understand the challenges we face in education as a practitioner, policymaker, and as a parent. This rare combination, grounded in a deep commitment to promoting equity, allows me to connect with the communities I serve, listen closely, and act decisively.
I am proud to say that in recent years, I have coached district leaders, consulted on statewide initiatives, helped to develop county-level programs, supported school-based transformations, and empowered individual parents to use their voices to impact their children's education. |
There aren’t enough words to express how much I value your brilliance, insight, vision, and grit...but I’ll try. Thank you for your incredible contributions to Mindful Schools, which includes delivering a completely re-hauled product roadmap that is truly “by educators, for educators”. You have fearlessly led your program team through challenging, yet necessary, change so that we can be a relevant and sustainable organization. You have built a foundation and north star to guide our work. And you have created a new engine to execute an intentional program-product-impact strategy that keeps equity at the center. In this process, you change the very field we work in. And you have elevated Mindful Schools to be at the forefront of a growing network committed to leveraging mindfulness and creating a more just and equitable world.
Seewan Eng, Executive Director of Mindful Schools
Seewan Eng, Executive Director of Mindful Schools
A few years ago I was fortunate to cross paths with Megan. She provided guidance to me during a harrowing time in life. Years later I find myself continuing to refer to her guidance as a pillar for helping me achieve large goals and find clarity during difficult times. She helped instill confidence in myself and her positivity, generosity and relatability were invaluable to seeing me through.
Coaching Client
Coaching Client
Megan Sweet provided hands on support to our district as we transitioned to the state's new funding system, called the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Transitioning to LCFF required that we adjust our current plans to align with the new system, which involved robust stakeholder engagement and internal planning meetings. Megan provided us with a system for engaging with our staff and community that was at once authentic and efficient, laying the groundwork for us to successfully develop plans for our school districts that were informed by our stakeholders. Megan also presented at a board meeting, provided coaching for those of us leading the work at the district, and facilitated planning meetings with our district leadership and principals. Through all of the various ways that Megan supported us, she was both professional and personable, she nudged us when we needed to keep moving forward, and was patient with her support as we took up this new work.
Dan Zaich, Ed.D. Director of Strategic Initiatives, San Rafael City Schools
Dan Zaich, Ed.D. Director of Strategic Initiatives, San Rafael City Schools
From our first coaching session, Megan did an amazing job listening to and understanding some of the challenges I was facing. Megan is compassionate, caring and has an amazing sense of intuition. Megan was able to use all of these qualities and more to help me become aware of the "shoulds" and high expectations I was putting on myself in all areas of my life. Through our work together I was able to recognize and then reframe these old patterns that had led to long standing beliefs I had about myself that were causing me to feel stuck, confused and overwhelmed. Megan used her insight to encourage and empower me to come up with a realistic action plan that allowed me to move forward. With her support I was able to finally release the limiting beliefs and feelings that were holding me back, keeping me playing small and from really manifesting my dreams. Thanks to Megan I finally feel that I am taking the steps I need to take in order to truly follow my life's purpose.
Michelle E., private coaching client
Michelle E., private coaching client
I envision an education system where students, staff, and parents alike feel seen, valued, and supported. Where we invest in our educators and treat them as the valuable resources that they are. Where we can have open and honest conversations about the areas we need to improve in service of children, and where we can work together to disrupt the impact of white supremacy on our expectations for youth and in how we interact with one another.
The First Step Towards this Vision is You. |
Put on your 3D glasses!When we intentionally use our Intellect, Insight, and Intuition (our 3 Eyes) together, it is like putting on a pair of 3-Dimensional glasses.
Just as 3D glasses transform a flat, fuzzy image into one that jumps out at us from the page, by looking at our lives, experiences, and decisions through all three lenses, we gain a depth of meaning and level of clarity that we cannot achieve through using one lens alone. |