Empower your students to anticipate and prepare for life’s rainy days.
The Umbrella Project is a teacher-led curriculum and school based program created to help teachers, students and parents reframe our perception of challenges and strengthen the skills of well-being to positively cope with the everyday stresses of life.
Program Pillars
Positive Priming
Inquiry-based Learning
Role Modelling
15,000+ Students
25,000+ Parents
2,000+ Educators
My students have been making cross-curricular and worldly connections using the Umbrella Skills. One student mentioned to me that she was feeling ‘rain’ in her life. When I asked her to tell explain, she said some friends were calling her ‘bossy’ and it felt like rain. We talked about what different skills she might be able to use, and she chose empathy. “Maybe they were just having a bad day”.
Another time, I walked by a group holding a Book Club. As I listened in, one of the students mentioned that the main character was showing a Fixed Mindset: she thought she couldn’t do something. Another student had found the same thing. I did not direct the conversation at all, so it was neat to see this play out organically.
While reading the book Ferdinand, one student put up their hand and said that Ferdinand was showing Authenticity. He did not care what others think of him, instead taking time to sit down and enjoy the flowers.
Our school culture and the mental wellbeing of our students are paramount! Our monthly themes, based on the Umbrella Project’s varied emotional and cognitive skills, are reflected at our assemblies, in our front display cabinet, on our morning announcements, in our classroom activities and on social media. We post our work in the hallways so all of our parents can share in the skill we are practicing.
We are glad to be equipped with “umbrellas” and we are having fun learning how to use them to protect ourselves in the “rain” ! This is a wonderful program for our school!While outdoors playing one day, one of the students fell on her trike. Another boy immediately went over to help her as he saw her crying. When he couldn’t lift her up, he came to get a teacher for help. As the other students watched, one observer said, “Jason is showing EMPATHY! He is trying to help Faith get up!”
Once Faith was back up, Jason looked at her tear-streaked face and then Faith hugged him saying “Thank you.” These are the moments that make teaching worth it. We sent a learning story home with Jason outlining his empathetic actions and how they relate to belonging and contributing skills within our curriculum.
Another fun Umbrella Skill to learn in my class was Growth Mindset.
We read the story, Giraffes Can’t Dance and really talked about they things we couldn’t do YET. Yet is key! We had a great discussion about the giraffe in the story and how he was feeling throughout the book.
We made a beautiful bulletin board display and each student wrote down one thing they couldn’t quite do yet.
Getting Started with the Umbrella Project
Curriculum and Classroom Resources
Educator Masterclasses
Parent Engagement
Empower your students to anticipate and prepare for life’s rainy days
The Umbrella Project is a teacher-led curriculum and school based program created to help teachers, students and parents reframe our perception of challenges and strengthen the skills of well-being to positively cope with the everyday stresses of life.
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About our Founder, Dr. Jen Forristal
Dr. Jen Forristal is a Naturopathic Doctor and CEO of the Umbrella Project, a school curriculum and parenting program designed to create a profound paradigm shift in our understanding of personal well-being and to empower parents, teachers and children to choose wellbeing, even on the rainy days. She has worked extensively with schools and organizations, shifting the way we are preparing for life’s inevitable rainy days and building the powerful coping skills necessary for health and happiness.
About our Founder, Dr. Jen Forristal

Dr. Jen Forristal is a Naturopathic Doctor and CEO of the Umbrella Project, a school curriculum and parenting program designed to create a profound paradigm shift in our understanding of personal well-being and to empower parents, teachers and children to choose wellbeing, even on the rainy days. She has worked extensively with schools and organizations, shifting the way we are preparing for life’s inevitable rainy days and building the powerful coping skills necessary for health and happiness.