Students from the Mission Achievement Success Charter School practicing with the Inner Balance™ Coherence Plus Technology

Jeff Goelitz: A big hello, JoAnn. It’s good to be with you. I talk regularly with educators and what comes up frequently is how students are increasingly ill-equipped to learn. The downward trend in academic achievement shows that, but also shows the very impactful results from student mental health issues, post-pandemic. Your school is bucking that trend with astronomical gains in academics. What explains that?

JoAnn: We have made big academic gains. We continue to outperform the state by at least between 10 and 20 percent, and we’re a Title 1 school with most of our 2200 stu- dents economically disadvantaged. And that’s K through 12. Then we have great teacher retention, and our teacher satisfaction was the best it’s ever been this year. Our culture supports these gains. And you’ll see more happening this year, very specific to a deep intentional implementation of HeartMath.

Jeff: That’s inspiring.

JoAnn: As far as retaining teachers, we sometimes have to say, "You’re not a good fit here." I can like you as a person, but there’s just not good alignment. Like, we literally have a teacher who’s resigning this year because she’s just not invested in this stuff. She said, "I just don’t really buy into this." And that’s okay. This is not for anybody to be forced to like, but you can’t be part of the organization if you don’t, because this is what we do. There are plenty of other jobs available.

Jeff: And I love that you make that clear and almost impersonal.

JoAnn: In fact, we didn’t lose a single teacher that we desired to keep. That’s never happened before. Now, that doesn’t mean we had 100% retention because we let people go who weren’t a good fit, but there was no contention. There wasn’t a fight or fanfare when staff left. We tell them that we’re happy to recommend you and help you find a job that works for you. I think it’s because we’re a very conscious organization right now, demonstrating a high level of consciousness.

Jeff: What other data is worth sharing?

JoAnn: We had a research group come in that does staff and school culture surveys nationally with many educator members in their portfolio. We were at the 98th percentile! They were mesmerized: "What did you do? How do you make that happen?" It was really about culture. The results were across every category. The only thing different was the intentional implementation.

Outsiders, like public education officials, say it’s hard to put a finger on it, but it just feels really good here. HR folks confirm that there is no staff conflict; no mediating and complaints. It just doesn’t exist. People have tools now to manage tension. Like, once a math coach’s car was stolen, but she waited to tell me until four o’clock before a leadership meeting. I was rattled, but she said, "Joanne, do you want a minute to get coherent?" That’s the culture now.

Jeff: Going back a bit, you launched this school in 2012. What were some of the biggest risks or leaps of faith? You were a practicing psychologist then, right?

JoAnn: I was in school at the time, and had worked as a school psychologist. Transitioning from working within an institution to launching a charter school was bold — especially since charter schools weren’t always viewed positively. The driving force was very personal: I was a first-generation high school and college graduate, passionate about underserved students. I’d worked in Title One schools across states, and saw the need was similar everywhere. New Mexico was ranked last in education; I was passionate about changing that.

Jeff: How do your core values and teaching approach bring together social-emotional learning with academic rigor?

JoAnn: I deeply value educational rigor, especially for underserved kids. Quality of schooling often depends on where you live, but it shouldn’t be that way. Social-emotional learning is central too. I was into psychology and personal development from college. Initially, I hesitated to bring social-emotional learning fully into the school, fearing that I was imposing my values.

But I realized this isn’t just feel-good stuff — it’s science, it affects the body and how we show up in the world. Education alone isn’t enough when poverty and trauma are factors. Tools for resiliency and navigating life are essential life skills. We teach that the mind-body connection and social-emotional skills as central, not optional. Also, teachers need to live these practices themselves to effectively teach kids.

Jeff: You started with Choose Love, then HeartMath. How did you roll out these programs, knowing they might feel foreign and could be misunderstood?

JoAnn: Lots of learning curves early on. You can’t just announce it excitedly and expect it to stick. It needs to be intentional with daily, weekly goals. We formed a dedicated committee to strategically roll it out in bite-sized pieces, recognizing knowledge needs to precede experience. Since opening in 2012, it’s been part of our culture, but last year was a turning point with deeper implementation. I personally stayed involved, making it my daily priority, gathering lots of feedback to adapt. We brought in expert speakers, did book studies, got people certified in HeartMath, and gave teachers strong foundational training before rolling out to kids. It’s always been data-driven and intentional.

Jeff: You start leadership meetings with coherence practice daily. What’s the motivation and response?

JoAnn: It’s been building. My leadership team knows when I’m gung-ho; that’s what we do. There’s trust because I don’t lead folks astray. I focus on the science behind what happens when we’re out of coherence—especially in high-energy, stressful jobs like education. We talk about how mental, physical, and emotional energy are taxed all day. HeartMath takes out the woo-woo and explains the science, and the results prove it works—calmer meetings, clearer thinking, better relationships. People love the analogy of the heart as a hybrid charging station in the chest. It helps everyone reset so they end the day refreshed, with energy for home and family.

Jeff: With an estimated 25-40% of students afflicted with trauma across the US, how do you approach discipline in a heart-centered, trauma-informed way while maintaining academic rigor?

JoAnn: It starts with training staff because I can’t be everywhere. Staff use breathing techniques and coherence to regulate students before having conversations. Discipline focuses on the Choose Love program pillars: gratitude, courage, compassion, action, and forgiveness. Conversations aren’t punitive or shaming but reflective and restorative. We embed social-emotional learning daily for 20 minutes in whole groups and classrooms. Students’ journals have prompts related to those pillars. Eventually, we want all classes to start with heart-focused breathing for 1-2 minutes to reset and get coherent.

Jeff: How do you engage students academically to challenge them?

JoAnn: It’s more student-centered now with interactive, project-based learning layered over direct instruction, which is brief and strategic. We have two teachers per classroom and about 90% of kids start behind grade level, so closing gaps is a big challenge. We meet kids where they’re at, differentiating learning. Consistent data tracking and intensive teacher training ensure students get what they need. Many teachers are well-intentioned but face huge challenges; our professional development supports them in managing behavior and diverse skill levels effectively.

Jeff: What about HeartMath Inner Balance devices? How do you use them now?

JoAnn: We experimented last year with some classrooms; kids loved it, and teachers gave great feedback. This year, we’re training teachers first to get full buy-in. By the end of October, all 180 instructional staff will have taken the Coherence Advantage training with our certified trainers, including use of the inner Balance devices. Then the Inner Balance devices will roll out for students to use at least once a week, mostly grades three and up. The device lets students measure their coherence levels and track improvement, which motivates them.

Jeff: I saw a picture of you teaching Coherence Advantage to fourth graders with PowerPoint slides plus using the Inner Balance technology devices. How do you level it for kids?

JoAnn: As educators, we differentiate naturally. We often underestimate kids’ intelligence. We break down terminology into kid-friendly language. We explain what coherence does to the body, no matter your age. Kids love learning about energy projection—the electromagnetic field—and how our moods impact others. We talk about how you can "feel" a teacher’s mood without words. This makes it relatable and easy for kids to understand the science behind the device beyond just a game.

Jeff: Finally, how do you practice coherence personally in your busy day?

JoAnn: I build it into my meetings and daily routine so I don’t forget. I start my day with meditation and heart-focused breathing connected to the device. I drive with the device on to stay mindful. Over time, it’s so conditioned I do it naturally without the device reminding me. I end workdays and bedtime with it. It’s become just how I operate.

Jeff: Thanks so much for your time, JoAnn. I celebrate your contributions and look forward to seeing how you continue to grow this culture.

JoAnn: Thanks, Jeff. I look forward to our next chat—got to run to my next meeting now. Take care.