A Principal on Why Mindfulness Saves Lives

by Peyton Chapman, Principal of Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon

We’re honored that Peyton will be a featured speaker at our annual Gala & Fundraiser on November 8th, 2019.

When I arrived at Lincoln, the school had a part-time school psychologist. We had no advisory program, and no academic or social-emotional learning support classes. We were also losing 1-2 students per year to suicide.

I had come from a high poverty school where students were labeled “at risk” regularly. People thanked me for caring about all students and working at a “failing” school. We talked about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and risk factors and had extensive partnerships that included a Multnomah County School-Based Health Clinic, Sun Schools, and several culturally specific partnerships.

“We routinely use mindfulness classes to help keep students alive. ”

When I started at Lincoln, the School Psychologist Jim Hanson recommended I read the book The Price of Privilege. Walking into Lincoln, I was immediately struck by the fast pace, the “treadmill” students and staff were experiencing, and the real feelings of competition and intimidation I could sense at all levels. The price of privilege is real. After two years of experiencing student suicides, cutting in the bathrooms, eating disorders, student hospitalizations, and generally high levels of stress and anxiety I knew we were also a “failing school” if we couldn’t shift our resources and advocacy to try to address these issues.

The first step was getting a full time school psychologist. The next steps included adding a student-led anti-bullying program, and training all staff in mandatory suicide prevention workshops. We also added Dialectical Behavioral Therapy classes.

“How effective can a leader be who internally is dominated by ‘I did a horrible job yesterday. I don’t think I should even be principal. I’m worried about dropping the ball tomorrow’?  We need to be fully present and mindful to be our best selves.”

One of the best decisions we made was joining Wilson High School in adding and advocating for every high school to have a Peace in the Schools partnership. We routinely use mindfulness classes to help keep students alive. Students who are identified for safety plans, students who struggle with negative self-talk, students who are trying to stay present and experience calm are all encouraged to enroll in Mindful Studies. After taking the class, many have become incredible leaders working to help their peers problem-solve and seek mental health supports.

I have expanded my own professional toolkit by learning some mindfulness skills. I try to tell myself fairly often: “I was enough yesterday. I am enough today. I will be enough tomorrow.” How effective can a leader be who internally is dominated by “I did a horrible job yesterday. I don’t think I should even be principal. I’m worried about dropping the ball tomorrow”?  We need to be fully present and mindful to be our best selves. I have also learned to listen more and help hold space for people’s feelings, rather than trying to immediately fix problems that the speaker may not be asking me to fix. That’s still hard for me, but listening to understand is on my radar as a leader.

“Watching parents and families learn mindfulness strategies to help model centering and calm and help keep kids alive is a beautiful act of love to witness.”

As a parent I have also needed to learn mindfulness to better support my own children. I live in the Lincoln attendance area. I know the stresses of “achievement expectations” and “conformity values.” I have learned intimately that I care more about having alive children than a child who excels in every club or is full International Baccalaureate simply because I want them to or because they behave in ways that garner adult appreciation. I have been awake at nights wondering if I should drive down to “suicide bridge” to make sure one of my own children or one of their friends isn’t there for the wrong reason.

Mindfulness is one of our best forms of both prevention and response to crises at Lincoln and at home. Watching parents and families learn mindfulness strategies to help model centering and calm and help keep kids alive is a beautiful act of love to witness.

Peyton Chapman has served as Lincoln High School’s Principal for the past 14 years. Prior to that, she was the Vice-Principal at Madison HS and a Teacher/Activities Director at Franklin HS. She earned her BA in English Literature from Kenyon College, her law degree from American University, and her Masters in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College. She is also the mom of three children ages 26, 16, and 14 who have either graduated or will graduate from Lincoln HS.