Windsor Public Schools -

Matt calls up SPSM student on stage to speak about who motivates her in life the most.

Windsor, CT –  Sage Park Middle School recently welcomed renowned speaker, comedian, and best-selling author Matt Bellace, Ph.D., to deliver a transformative program aimed at fostering resilience, self-control, and mental health in students. This event, a collaborative initiative between Windsor Public Schools and the Windsor Health Department under Nurse Jennifer Waldo, RN, MS, was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant (PHHSBG). 

Nurse Waldo poses for a picture with Nurse Juli Denegris and Principal Liana Jorgensen during Matt Bellace’s program for Sage Park Middle School. 

The event aligns with Windsor Public Schools' commitment to supporting Social Emotional Learning (SEL), a district priority that emphasizes the importance of helping students build essential life skills, such as self-control, resilience, and effective communication. Bellace’s program delivered a student-centered approach that encouraged positive social connections, mental well-being, and the development of non-cognitive skills in a supportive, conflict-free environment.

Matt Bellace on stage with Sage Park Middle School students demonstrating the importance of support in their lives. 

Using humor, real-life examples, and neuropsychology-based insights, Bellace captivated students and educators alike, offering practical techniques such as mindfulness meditation, healthy self-expression, and the use of "natural highs" as healthy alternatives to combat stress, alcohol and drug use, and bullying behaviors. The program's messages were reinforced with Bellace's memorable acronym, LEAD:

• Lean on healthy people

• Express yourself in a healthy way

• Achieve natural highs

• Don't be afraid to take a stand

Sage Park Middle School students taking in laughs from Matt’s entertaining and inspiring program.

“This program is a perfect example of how Windsor Public Schools is committed to improving the well-being of our students,” said Liana Jorgensen, Principal of Sage Park Middle School. “Matt’s approach not only fits our goals for Social Emotional Learning but gives our students and educators concrete strategies to enhance their quality of life and build resilience.”

The initiative, supported by the Windsor Health Department, emphasizes the district’s holistic approach to education, recognizing that students’ emotional and mental well-being are essential to their academic and personal success.

#weareWINdsor

Contact:
Gianna Gill
Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator
Windsor Public Schools
Email: ggill@windsorct.org