Pioneer Institute for Health and Wellness
Where health and wellness come first.
At Hill-Murray, the health and wellness of our students is a top priority. The Pioneer Institute for Health and Wellness (PIHW) advances that mission by promoting balance in mind, body, and spirit and fostering a supportive, faith-filled community focused on student growth and connection.
Lifting us up in
Four Ways to Wellness
Physical + environmental
PIHW leaders provide meaningful education in nutrition, fitness and sleep by utilizing key spaces across campus including our flex room, outdoor classrooms, collaboration spaces and the Phase 2 Wellness Center.
Mental, emotional + spiritual
To support the mental health of our students, PIHW delivers professional counseling services in stress management and leads peer support programs, in addition to offering faith-based guidance and pastoral care.
Intellectual + social
Through an emphasis on problem-solving and resilience, PIHW helps students develop strategies to manage academic life, social relationships and digital balance while helping to build a sense of belonging.
Purposeful + vocational
In nurturing a sense of purpose and fulfillment, PIHW is helping to provide the tools students need to develop skills, values and interests that will serve them well in the future.
A Strategic Approach to Student Well-Being
the center for whole-student support, a hallmark of a modern Catholic school
An integrated approach that brings together support services, wellness education and community partnerships is the secret sauce to help every student thrive. Grounded in faith, relationship, and whole-child formation, the Institute provides coordinated care, proactive learning, and trusted resources so students feel supported, build resilience, and grow with confidence and purpose.
Student Support Services
Students have regular access to a credentialed school counselor and an experienced college counselor for academic, social-emotional, and postsecondary guidance. The Student Assistance Team, uniting Student Life, the Health Office (staffed by a registered nurse), and Guidance Counselors, coordinates early intervention and ongoing support to ensure every student is known and supported, with targeted resources available to all and strong partnerships among students, faculty, staff, and parents.
Awareness, Growth & Learning
A modern, integrated Physical Education, Health, and Wellness program helps students build self-awareness, resilience, healthy relationships, and essential life skills. Through courses such as Pioneer Pathways and programs including Peer Listening, Mindset Coaching, and responsive pop-up learning opportunities, students engage in meaningful experiences that support physical health, mental wellbeing, stress management, goal setting, and healthy technology use.
Partnerships
Partnerships enhance student and family support by connecting the school community with trusted programs and expert resources. Initiatives such as The Social Institute and RULER from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence promote healthy relationships, emotional awareness, and responsible decision-making. Parent programming, community resources, and speaker events extend learning beyond the classroom.
Updated Wellness Center - coming soon!
The Wellness Center serves as a dedicated hub for Physical Education, Health, and Wellness programming, reinforcing a holistic approach to student health. With enhanced strength, cardio, and mobility spaces, along with faculty offices housed within the center, the facility supports instruction, collaboration, injury prevention, and the development of lifelong healthy habits.
“Our work is about giving students real tools, real support, and real community, so they can meet life with confidence and courage.”
– Melissa Dan, President
Together in faith and wellness,
Let’s support every student’s path to wholeness.
For more information on Hill-Murray, PIHW and our investment in student health and wellness, contact Katie Francis, Director of the Pioneer Institute for Health and Wellness at kfrancis@hill-murry.org