Catholic Schools Onward
Best Practices and New Opportunities as We Move Forward
MENTAL AND WHOLE HEALTH
(Please note that as current information becomes available this page will be updated – 08.11.2020.)
CSO Home | Introduction | Philosophy | Process | Checklist
Introduction
- It is important to educate and support teachers, staff and families on how to help students successfully and effectively transition back into school in a healthy manner.
- Students need to be in school to support whole health development. For the following reasons: Let us briefly say a bit more:
While school closures might have been reasonable as part of the early pandemic response, current evidence and experience support the concept that children can return to school in a manner that maximizes children’s health and minimizes risks from a public health perspective.
Consequently, whole health including mental health is our focus. Supporting views include those expressed by the HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use (Dr. Elinor F McCance-Katz) and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) – Policy Lab. (Dr. David Rubin at policylab.chop.edu).
Philosophy
It is our philosophy, that through a holistic approach of mind, body and spirit, we provide necessary mental and whole health support along with interventions as needed for students to have a safe and effective transition to a new school year, as well as provide additional support as needed.
Process
- Establish a safe environment to learn
- Recognize the signs and symptoms when a student is at risk
- Continue to emphasize the importance of mandated reporting
- Start communicating with the parents/guardians during the summer months to prepare the student to return to school from a social-emotional standpoint
- Working with the Intermediate Units to provide intervention
- Survey parents and providing resources during the summer and continue to check-in during the school year
- Help students work on coping skills and resiliency
- Helping teachers with anxiety that they might be facing and that administration will support them with training so they are reassured
- Support teachers collaborating with each other prior to the beginning of the school year
- Provide an opportunity for a type of move-up day
- Share resources from…
- CORA
- Suicide prevention
- CHOP
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