Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging

The Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging — In Colorado's MTSS Systems

What is the Landscape?

This website is for educators, administrators, and other education professionals who are interested in increasing wellbeing and belonging in their schools. The goal of the Landscape project is to blend guidance, resources, systems, and best practices to improve outcomes for students, staff, and families across all PK-12 schools in Colorado.

The Five Features

The five features serve as the foundational and INTERCONNECTED components of all efforts in schools seeking to make improvements in wellbeing and belonging. The five features represent what’s necessary to successfully navigate the complex landscape related to health, safety, and prevention in Colorado Schools.

Click on each feature below to learn more.

The physical, emotional, psychological, and social context of a school.

All interpersonal connections in the school community that when strong, creates trust, buffers stress, and elevates the potential of each individual to thrive in the school environment.

The physical, social, emotional, and mental health of the whole person, that when optimized through education and access to care, leads to improved quality of life and outcomes.

The knowledge, skills, attitudes, and actions that promote positive human development and interaction.

The beliefs, expectations, and actions that encourage and equitably support all individuals in their life-long learning journeys.

Use these features as the base for any efforts you implement related to wellbeing and belonging in schools. Each of the five features must be addressed when making improvements in any of the following areas:

School Climate/School Safety
Social and Emotional Learning Skill Building
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports
Mental Health Literacy and Suicide Prevention
Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Restorative Practices and Relationship-Centered Discipline

Trauma-Informed Practices
Dropout Prevention Efforts
School Counseling
Out of School Time Programming
Physical Health Promotion Efforts

How did the Landscape Develop?

Different departments throughout CDE have been receiving questions and requests for support as schools navigate challenges with student behavior, mental health, wellbeing and belonging. Leaders within CDE saw a need for a unified resource for educators, administrators, CDE offices and other state-level partners.

In collaboration with CU’s Center for Resilience + Wellbeing, CDE staff worked together to define, highlight and operationalize the essential features of well being and belonging. These five features are presented here, with guiding questions, videos, and a variety of other resources to help educators and others navigate the challenging post-pandemic school terrain.

CDE Logo with state of colorado icon

CDE's Mission and Vision for Wellbeing and Belonging

VISION for Wellbeing and Belonging: The Colorado Department of Education, in partnership with school communities, optimizes wellbeing and belonging and ensures positive experiences for all students, staff, and families empowering them to thrive in school and life.

MISSION for Wellbeing and Belonging: The Colorado Department of Education's mission is to support learning communities by nurturing wellbeing and fostering a sense of belonging. We achieve this by authentically collaborating with school communities and key partners, ensuring clear and direct communication, and building an inclusive and equitable environment for all staff, families, and students. CDE continually utilizes data for decision-making to enhance resources, support, and guidance, ultimately improving the education experience and social and emotional needs of all students and educators in Colorado.

For questions about how the Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging can support your work, please email the Landscape Team