Baton Rouge Schools Launch Mindfulness Programs Across Multiple Campuses

East Baton Rouge Parish schools added daily mindfulness blocks this past January at five elementary sites, with each session running 12 minutes before lunch.

Student surveys from the district show rising reports of stress tied to test schedules and after-school schedules, which has prompted administrators to expand the practice beyond pilot classrooms. The move aligns with a broader push in the parish to address mental health needs without pulling students out of regular instruction time.

Programs at Local Schools

At Baton Rouge High School on Government Street, ninth-graders now begin first period with guided breathing exercises led by trained counselors using a curriculum developed with the local health department. The program reaches about 380 students and operates in the same building that houses the school’s college-prep magnet track. Across town in the Mid City neighborhood, Broadmoor Elementary on Sharp Road runs a twice-weekly session that incorporates simple movement sequences before dismissal, serving 420 children from kindergarten through fifth grade. Both efforts receive materials from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s wellness office rather than outside vendors.

A 2025 district report recorded a 19 percent drop in reported anxiety-related nurse visits at schools that ran the sessions for a full semester compared with the prior year. Participation numbers reached 1,850 students across the five pilot sites by May, with the district budgeting $18 per student for printed guides and audio tracks.

Next Steps for Families

Parents can request details on session times by contacting their child’s school counselor or checking the district website for the fall schedule. The parish plans to add two middle schools on the same model starting in August, with training for teachers scheduled at the school board office on North 22nd Street in late July.