Meditation Helps Lower Truancy and Suspensions

Surrounded by poverty and escalating violence, a San Francisco middle school committed to peace and embraced a program of meditation that has made students feel safer, teachers more productive, and brought unity and purpose to the school.

February 23, 2012

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Schools That Work

Visitacion Valley Middle School

Public, Urban

Grades 6-8

San Francisco, CA

Visitacion Valley Middle School first introduced Quiet Time (QT), a stress-reduction program as an optional activity, in the spring of 2007. The program consists of two periods, 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon, when students may choose to sit quietly or meditate.

Since starting the Quiet Time intervention, this school has achieved the following:

BEHAVIORS

50% reduction in suspensions
65% reduction in truancy

ACADEMICS

.5% increase in overall grade point average