What is the CARE Model?

The CARE Model provides a structured approach to student support and community building. As Jayde explained during our podcast discussion, CARE stands for:

• Consistency
• Awareness
• Responsiveness
• Empathy

This framework serves as a blueprint for school leaders, particularly those in student life roles, who may not always have a clear roadmap for supporting students through various challenges.

Consistency: Setting Clear Expectations

Consistency forms the foundation of psychological safety in schools. During our conversation, Jayde shared how inconsistent application of rules created confusion and frustration among students.

“When you have each dorm doing their own thing and people making up their own disciplinary rules, you get inconsistent application of consequences,” Jayde explained. “That creates strife among students.”

To build consistency, schools should:

• Create clear, written policies and guidelines
• Communicate expectations regularly, not just at the beginning of the year
• Ensure faculty and student leaders understand and reinforce the same standards
• Apply rules equitably across all student groups
• Be transparent about the reasoning behind rules and policies

Awareness: Understanding Student Needs

Building awareness involves actively seeking to understand what students need to feel safe and supported. This requires creating multiple channels for student feedback and demonstrating that their input shapes school policies.

Jayde described convening various student groups to hear directly from them: “I wanted to hear from them about what they needed, what they were seeing.”

Schools can build awareness by:

• Creating regular forums for student feedback
• Being visible and accessible to students in various contexts
• Recognizing different needs of various student populations
• Actively listening to concerns without defensiveness
• Identifying and addressing gaps in support systems

Responsiveness: Timely and Appropriate Action

Responsiveness means addressing issues quickly and appropriately. As Jayde noted, “Being responsive is about timeliness in your action. Making sure you’re supporting students right away.”

The podcast highlighted how delayed responses create anxiety and erode trust. Students need to know that when they raise concerns, they’ll receive timely feedback.

Key elements of responsiveness include:

• Addressing issues promptly
• Following up consistently on interventions
• Tailoring support to individual student needs
• Being transparent about processes and timelines
• Closing the loop with all affected parties

Empathy: Understanding Student Perspectives

Empathy stands at the heart of the CARE Model. It requires adults to meet students where they are developmentally and understand situations from their perspective.

“That empathy piece is about getting to their level and listening to what’s going on for them,” Jayde shared. “The mind of a ninth-grade boy is interesting…really having to listen and validate what they’re experiencing.”

Schools can foster empathy by:

• Training faculty in trauma-informed approaches
• Helping adults move beyond positional authority
• Creating partnership models with students
• Recognizing the developmental stage of each student
• Building in reflection time for both students and faculty

Implementing the CARE Model: Practical Strategies

During our podcast conversation, Jayde shared several practical strategies for implementing the CARE Model:

Building Connections

Creating spaces for students to connect with each other and with adults is crucial. At Jayde’s previous school, they established recreational hours after the academic day ended, which not only gave students ways to release energy but also created informal opportunities for adult-student interaction.

Restorative vs. Punitive Approaches

The CARE Model aligns with restorative practices, which focus on repairing harm rather than simply punishing rule-breaking. However, as Jayde noted, “Being restorative doesn’t mean absence of consequences.”

Effective restorative approaches require:

• Building relationships before they’re needed
• Connecting consequences to the nature of the infraction
• Focusing on learning opportunities
• Creating space for reflection and growth
• Maintaining consistent follow-up

Student Leadership

Engaging student leaders is essential for creating psychological safety. When students help develop and enforce community standards, they take ownership of the school culture.

“Having student engagement and having them be part of creating these systems was really important for consistency,” Jayde explained.

Challenges and Solutions

Implementing the CARE Model isn’t without challenges. Common obstacles include:

• Adults reluctant to relinquish traditional authority models
• Time constraints for relationship-building and follow-up
• Resistance to policy changes
• Inconsistent application across different school areas
• Balancing individual needs with community standards

To overcome these challenges, schools can:

• Provide ongoing professional development
• Create clear documentation of policies and procedures
• Establish supportive leadership structures
• Build in time for relationship development
• Focus on the “why” behind rules and expectations

Conclusion: The Impact of Psychological Safety

Creating psychological safety through the CARE Model has profound effects on school communities. When students feel safe, supported, and valued, they engage more fully in learning, take positive risks, and develop critical social-emotional skills.

As Jayde emphasized in our podcast conversation, “At the end of the day, this is about the student experience. We need to be student-centered in our approach.”

By implementing consistency, awareness, responsiveness, and empathy, schools can create environments where all students have the opportunity to thrive.

This blog post is based on an episode of the Dean’s Roundtable Podcast featuring guest Jayde Bennett from Learning Courage. To hear the full conversation, listen to the podcast.

The Dean’s Roundtable Annual Conference will be held June 23-26 at the New England Innovation Academy, featuring speakers including Jayde and Learning Courage. Registration is now open.