The hallways buzzed with a different kind of energy this week. Instead of the usual academic hustle, students traded textbooks for yoga mats, swapped uniforms for pyjamas and paused their equations to pot plants.
Wellbeing Week wrapped up today after four days of activities that transformed all three SMUS campuses into hubs of mindfulness, connection and joy.
The message of the events, presentations and discussions resonated across all age groups: wellbeing looks different for everyone, and that's perfectly OK.
Junior School: Recharging through play
The youngest SMUS community members embraced wellbeing through movement and creativity. Tuesday's yoga sessions had students stretching both bodies and minds, while Thursday's uniform-free day saw excited children flooding into the gym for painting stations, Play-Doh creations and Lego building.
Wednesday brought a special highlight when Senior School counsellor Chris Webster and Accredited Facilities dog Radar made their way through the Junior School hallways. The effect was immediate and powerful, eyes lit up, voices softened and a wave of comfort washed over students as they spotted the four-legged SMUS team member padding toward them.
That quiet comfort was gloriously short-lived, however, as the field outside the atrium played the perfect venue for a flash mob at lunch. Students excitedly followed choreographed routines before breaking into free-form expression, their laughter and movement creating a visible release of energy.
This unstructured expression was a welcome break from the usual routine.
Middle School: Student leaders take charge
The Middle School's Wellbeing Week showcased impressive student leadership, with the Grade 8 Wellbeing Club serving as the driving force behind many activities.
Monday's therapy dog visit created perhaps the most memorable scene of the week, a small but mighty stampede of students rushing onto the field where seven therapy dogs from PATS waited patiently. The energy shift was palpable as students connected with the animals, each interaction bringing a softness and calm that rippled through the crowd.
The pinnacle moment came during Tuesday's Wellbeing Chapel, where the Grade 8 Wellbeing Club partnered with co-heads of the Senior School Wellbeing Council, Kingston Hollis '25 and Isla McVeigh '25, to deliver personal stories about mental health journeys. Lauren A., Laurel G., Iben H. and Ethan V. from Grade 8 translated these concepts specifically for their peers.
The Hats On for Mental Health fundraiser organized by the Service Council demonstrated how wellbeing extends beyond personal care to community support.
Senior School: Connections and practical skills
The Crothall courtyard was transformed on Tuesday into a festia as the Spanish Club joined forces with the Wellbeing Council to bring salsa dancing to SMUS. Students and faculty alike followed an instructor's lead through increasingly complex moves, their laughter growing with each misstep and triumph. The sight of teenagers willingly setting aside their academic pressures to be swept away by rhythm and movement offered a powerful reminder of what wellbeing truly means.
Senior School's approach balanced these fun activities with substantial mental health resources. Wednesday's naloxone training session provided students with life-saving knowledge, while Thursday's mental health support group created space for deeper conversations.
The prefects and Wellbeing Council thoughtfully designed activities targeting emotional, mental and physical wellness, from gratitude boards in the library to potting plants outside Howard's Café.
A community that cares
What made SMUS's Wellbeing Week stand apart wasn't just the calendar of events, but the intentional message behind them: take time to do one small thing for yourself each day.
As therapy dogs lounged by the flagpoles and yoga sessions stretched across the quad, the SMUS community demonstrated that wellbeing isn't a luxury, it's essential for learning and growth.
As students return to regular schedules next week, the lessons of Wellbeing Week remain: recharge, reconnect and remember that sometimes the most important homework is taking care of yourself.
