Peace of Mind, Inc.
Equipping children with the skills to face challenges with kindness, compassion and courage
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Mindfulness based SEL and Conflict Resolution Resources for Elementary Educators
The Peace of Mind program, developed at Lafayette Elementary since 2003 by Peace Teacher Linda Ryden, supports student well-being with a comprehensive program of mindfulness-based social emotional learning, brain science, conflict resolution and social justice. Based on more than 16,000 hours of in-classroom development, the Peace of Mind curriculum, including curriculum guides for PreK - 8th graders, responds directly to the urgent social and emotional needs of our students.
Since we began sharing the program in 2016, Peace of Mind now reaches over 3,800 students in the D.C. metro area in public, public charter and independent schools and thousands more across the country. Approximately half of students served attend Title I schools.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Catalogue for Philantrhophy Member Organization 2023
Catalogue for Philantrhophy Member Organization 2022
Catalogue for Philantrhophy Member Organization 2021
Catalogue for Philanthrophy Member Organization 2020
External reviews
Photos
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Peace of Mind curriculum was created with the hope and intention of creating more peaceful school communities and ultimately a more peaceful world. This work has never been more necessary in our schools.
Our country is in the grips of so many challenges including the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an alarming rise in gun violence, attacks on the rights of LBGTQIA+ children, and the ongoing pandemic of racism. And schools are on the front lines of dealing with all of these. As reports of anxiety, depression and even suicide among young people is rising the need for social and emotional learning, conflict resolution skills and social justice education in our schools has never been greater.
Our biggest challenge is getting our classroom-proven curriculum to the students who desperately need it. Increasing our capacity to reach out to new schools who can benefit from Peace of Mind resources will enable us to substantially increase the number of students Peace of Mind is able to serve over the next year, resulting in improved student mental health and well-being for hundreds more students in the DC metropolitan area.
Educators taking up this challenging work need ongoing support beyond introductory training. Peace of Mind meets this need through coaching, ongoing training in-person and online, an Annual Conference and Community of Practice gatherings. We equip educators with the skills to help deliver the Peace of Mind curriculum effectively, so that they can equip their students to learn to face life’s challenges with kindness, courage and compassion.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Please see 3 year plan above.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Please see three year plan above.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Please see three year plan above.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Peace of Mind, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 12/15/2022
Liz Whisnant
Educator
Term: 2023 - 2024
Chapin Springer
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Darrel Jodrey
Johnson & Johnson
Elizabeth Whisnant
Horace Mann Elementary School
Subrat Biswal
Scientist
Linda Ryden
Educator
Elizabeth Hoffman
Neuroscientist
Charles DeSantis
Georgetown Univiersity
Laura Yee
Radical Becoming
Jackie Snowden
Educator
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/22/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.