NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Eric Adams, accompanied by Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan, announced Tuesday that all New York City public schools, pre-K through 12th grade, will soon be required to facilitate two to five minutes of mindful breathing practices in schools every day.
Tuesday’s announcement aims to increase physical and mental health, enhance social-emotional learning, and enhance the culture of New York City public schools. As part of this initiative, the city has already begun implementation of a citywide professional development program for educators in mindful breathing practices.
Integrating yoga and mindfulness into school communities addresses and supports the important social and emotional needs of younger New Yorkers. Studies show that mindful breathing practices support students’ ability to feel safe and responsive while learning, leaving positive impacts from integrating these practices into the school experience.
“We live in a time of toxic social media communities, constant news, and unfiltered alerts, all of which affect the mental health of our students. But, today, it’s time for our students to calm down their nervous systems,” said Mayor Adams. “Conscious breathing can be done by anyone, anywhere, and at any time. We are proud to announce another pledge delivered in our State of the City address earlier this year that will soon engage all students in mindful breathing practices. Mindful breathing is another way we teach our young healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”
The DOE’s Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program is the first Yoga Alliance-approved yoga and mindfulness program in a public school system nationwide.
Yoga Alliance is the nation’s largest nonprofit association representing the yoga community. The Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program is building the capacity of school staff to integrate yoga and mindfulness in DOE public schools to engage students, teachers, and staff.
“The mental well-being of our students is a top priority for New York City public schools. These are the future leaders of tomorrow, and it is important that our youth have a strong set of practice tools to guide them in and out of the classroom,” said DOE Chancellor Banks. “I am delighted that we are allowing our educators to support our children in this way, and I look forward to continuing to partner with our school leaders and partners across the city to advance this essential work.”
In March 2023, in partnership with the Mindfulness and Yoga Teacher Preparation Program, the DOE began implementing a professional development program to train educators and other school staff in implementing mindful breathing practices and tools that they can be used in the classroom to support the social and emotional needs of students and the well-being of their entire school community. Professional development sessions are virtual and available to all staff.
Educators also have access to online resources to help facilitate these practices. To ensure that schools have the freedom to implement this work in a way that best suits their school community, school leaders will be empowered to implement this initiative on an individual basis, but it will soon require all public schools in the City of New York offer all students breathing practice at school every day.
“We all have a responsibility to support the well-being of youth,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Vasan. “Incorporating mindfulness into the school day, where they spend most of their time, will benefit our young people in their daily lives and well into the future, teaching them healthy coping skills that will help them navigate life’s unpredictable journey. I am proud to work with an administration dedicated to supporting mental health and wellness, especially for our children, and I commend New York City Public Schools for this initiative.”
