Sanford Harmony expanding to magnet schools

San Diego — A national association of magnet schools has partnered with San Diego-based National University to bring the emotional learning program Sanford Harmony to more schools throughout the country.

Sanford Harmony, which helps reinforce positive peer interaction among children in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, already is being rolled out to thousands of grade-school classrooms through National University at no cost to the schools.

Magnet Schools of America is the first national organization to sign an agreement to bring Sanford Harmony to more schools. Sanford Harmony is named after philanthropist T. Denny Sanford, a long-time supporter of National University who suggested the concept of a program aimed at creating harmony among children.

Magnet Schools of America represents more than 3,800 schools around the country and will bring Sanford Harmony into 75 schools during the first year of the partnership.

“We are extremely pleased to be collaborating with National University to offer Sanford Harmony to the many magnet schools that stand to benefit from this valuable program that has already demonstrated significant impacts in classrooms around the country,” said Todd Mann executive director of Magnet Schools of America.

“The mission of Sanford Harmony aligns strongly with the collective emphasis of magnet schools, which have their roots in encouraging culturally competent educational environments that model empathy, respect and collaboration.”

The Sanford Harmony program includes classroom lesson plans, storybooks and activities and was originally developed at Arizona State University, another university strongly supported by T. Denny Sanford.

National University has worked with other universities and organizations to introduce Sanford Harmony to more than 8,850 classrooms around the country, representing 180,000 students in 20 states.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com