CHAPTERS
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Click your state in the list below for state and local chapter details
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Contact Regional Director of COSEM Chapters, Lindsey Frank, with any questions:
Western USA
Hawaii-none yet
Idaho-none yet
Montana-none yet
Nevada-none yet
Oklahoma-none yet
Oregon-none yet
Utah-none yet
Wyoming-none yet
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Central USA
Alabama-none yet
Arkansas-none yet
Iowa-none yet
Kansas-none yet
Louisiana-none yet
Mississippi-none yet
Nebraska-none yet
North Dakota-none yet
Ohio-none yet
Tennessee-none yet
Eastern USA
Georgia-coming soon
Maryland-none yet
South Carolina-none yet
West Virginia-none yet
International
Chapters are the heart of our mission and where inspired grassroots action happens. Our vision is to have free chapter meetings throughout each school year, happening virtually or in-person all across the world, with educators supporting and mentoring each other as they implement holistic approaches to education at their schools.
Most chapter meetings are 1-1.5 hours long and have the following format:
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Introductions
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Mindfulness Practice
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Presentation of Learning Topic (examples: guest speaker, a chapter from a book, lesson plan from a curriculum)
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Discussion of Topic
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Build Practice Toolkits for Teaching Mindfulness Practices to Students
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Sharing and Information Exchange
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We are seeking a Chapter Coordinator (or Co-Coordinators) in each US state to be the main email contact for their state (or country). The Chapter Coordinator does outreach to find chapter meeting host locations and facilitators in their state or country. They also mentor their state's local chapter meeting facilitators. We host bi-monthly mentorship meetings to
Each state or country's chapter will grow slowly and organically as more and more chapter meeting facilitators volunteer to host meetings in their areas. No mindfulness expertise is needed to be a chapter coordinator or meeting facilitator; just a personal practice and passion for connecting educators, building your leadership skills, and growing the movement.
Once state chapters get rolling and membership grows, they can also organize expert trainings, retreats, workshops, or conferences for educators. Our vision is to create partnerships with large corporations, insurance companies, local community organizations, and family foundations to help bring free and low-cost learning opportunities to educators through our chapters, especially in areas that would not otherwise have access to trainings.
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Thank you in advance for your inspired action!
Alaska
Chapter Coordinator:
Monica Claridge
Kodiak, AK
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Arizona
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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California
Chapter Coordinator:
We are seeking this position
San Diego Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Craig Collins
Santa Clara Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Jennifer Holling-Blake
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: We haven't had any chapter meetings yet. Click the join link above to let us know what area of the state you live and once we gather some interested educators, we'll plan some chapter meetings in the areas where they live. Until then, let's stay connected on our Facebook group.
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Colorado
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Delaware
Facebook group: Coming Soon
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Florida
Chapter Coordinator:
Mary Torres
Facebook group: Coming soon
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Illinois
Chapter Coordinator:
Tracy Heilers
COSEM Founder & Executive Director
630 337 7452
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: We will have chapter meetings in each of the locations below during the school year. With COVID, things are a bit up in the air and most meetings will be online. If you can facilitate meetings in another section of the state, contact Tracy.
We partnered with Glenbard Parent Series to bring the author of Alphabreaths and Raising Resilience, Dr. Chris Willard, to our area on Mar 10 and 11, 2020 (see photo below).
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Northwest Suburbs Section
Meeting Facilitators: Lindsey Frank-Arlington Heights SD59, Ella Prejzner-Grow Mindfully
Upcoming chapter meetings are held using Zoom at 6:00 pm on Tuesdays, Feb 23 and Apr 20, 2021. RSVP for chapter meetings HERE. Questions? Contact . Chapter website HERE.
Chicago Section
Meeting Facilitator: Elspeth Stowe-Grant, U of C Lab Schools
Upcoming chapter meetings are on Zoom on Mar 4, Apr 8, May 6 at 4:00. Click link for date to RSVP. For questions, contact Elspeth at estoweg@ucls.uchicago.edu.
In the future, they will be at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Directions: The street address is 5835 S. Kimbark. The meeting will take place in Judd Hall C116. Participants should enter the building through Gordon Parks Arts Hall located at the corner of 58th and Kimbark. Everyone will need to ring the bell and check-in with security.
West Suburbs Section
Meeting Facilitators: Jenny Franz-Downers Grove South HS, Gene Olsen-SD 89
Chapter meetings TBA. Meetings are all at CASE DuPage, 22W600 Butterfield Rd in Glen Ellyn and they will provide 2 CEU/PD credits for each. Register for each chapter meeting separately HERE. Contact Jenny with any questions at jfranz@csd99.org.
North Shore Section
Meeting Facilitators: Lauren Beversdorf-Bannockburn School, Matt Dewar-Lake Forest High School
Next chapter meeting is on Zoom at 3:30 pm on Monday, Jan 25, 2021. Non-COVID times, at North Shore Academy located at 760 Red Oak Lane in Highland Park. For questions and to RSVP, contact Lauren at lbeversdorf@bannockburnschool.org.
Dekalb Section
Meeting Facilitator: Miriam (Mimi) Ojaghi-SEL Consultant at Dekalb Regional Office of Education
Next chapter meeting is virtually at 4:30 pm on February 10, 2021. Non-COVID times at Dekalb ROE, 2500 North Annie Glidden Rd in Dekalb. For questions and to RSVP, contact Mimi at mojaghi@dekalbcounty.org.
Local Mindfulness Resources (contact Tracy to add to list):
Gail Kolbeck, MEd, Behavior and Trauma-Informed Practices Strategist, Presenter and Mindfulness Practitioner in Springfield
Indiana
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Kentucky
Chapter Coordinator:
Cindy Plappert
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Michigan
State Chapter Co-Coordinators
Kristen
Brittany
Grand Rapids Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Patti Ward
Hancock/Houghton Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Liz Leach
West Shores Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Lisa Cobb
Traverse Bay Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Kristen Ryder
Montcalm County Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Kire Wierda
SW/St Joseph Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Kathleen Belonga
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Minnesota
Chapter Coordinator
Kathy Flamino
Facebook group: Coming Soon
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Missouri
Chapter Coordinator:
We are seeking this position
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
Massachusetts Section
Meeting Facilitator:
We are seeking this position
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Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: We'll no longer have this regional chapter, but instead will be creating separate chapters for each state. We'll update this webpage soon to reflect this.
Local Mindfulness Resources: More coming soon
CT Teachers for Yoga and Mindfulness in Schools Facebook group
New Jersey
Chapter Co-Coordinator:
Nicole Meyrick
Chapter Co-Coordinator:
Maral Varjabedyan
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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New Mexico
Chapter Coordinator:
We are seeking this position
Santa Fe Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Yvonne Sebastian
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Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources:
Rio Grande Mindfulness Institute​
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New York
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: The next chapter meeting will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, February 23 at 8:00 pm.
RSVP at nychapter@educatingmindfully.org.
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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North Carolina
Chapter Co-Coordinator:
Melinda Willingham
Alamance-Burlington School System
Chapter Co-Coordinator:
Candice Davies
Cary, NC
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources:
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Pennsylvania
Chapter Coordinator:
Cindy Goldberg
Mindfulness Consultant and Coach
Jenkintown, PA
mindfulnesswithcindy@gmail.com
215 901 4383
Philadelphia Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Stacey Mandel
Founder of Bubbles and Flashlights
Bryn Mawr, PA
Pittsburgh Section
Meeting Facilitator:
We are seeking this position
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming Soon
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South Dakota
Chapter Coordinator:
Sheila Anderson
Britton, SD
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Texas
Chapter Coordinator:
We are seeking this position
Houston Section
Meeting Facilitator:
Athea Davis
Facebook group: Coming soon
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Virginia
Chapter Coordinator:
We are seeking this position
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Washington
Chapter Coordinator:
Renee Metty
Seattle, WA
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Washington DC
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Wisconsin
Chapter Coordinator:
Molly Holsen
Milwaukee, WI
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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Canada
Ontario Chapter Facilitator:
Angela Ventrice
Ontario Chapter Faciliator:
Lisa Clarke
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources:
laLA Wellness Yoga and Mindfulness Programs
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United Kingdom
Scotland Chapter Coordinator:
David Hooper
Facebook group:
Upcoming Events: Coming Soon
Local Mindfulness Resources: Coming soon
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