Across the nation, there has been a growing concern in schools about student and staff mental health. Six of our area schools shared how they are approaching the challenge of mental health needs – Chatfield, Lanesboro, Caledonia, Houston, Kingsland and Rushford-Peterson.
At Chatfield, state money was used for additional staff to help with mental health issues. The high school has a counselor and social worker. In addition to the social workers, a school-linked mental health worker comes into the school from Rochester.
Commenting, “Demand is high,” Superintendent Ed Harris shared that he had written a letter of support for a grant for additional mental health services through Winona State University. Students at WSU working toward a degree in school mental health would come to the school and work with students in much the same way as education students complete a student teaching assignment. In this way, both the WSU students and the Chatfield students would benefit from the experience.
Harris feels that understanding of mental health evolves over time; awareness is growing of the subtle needs of the students. Mental health staff trainings have been added to help the staff in dealing with the issues.
The challenge is that often students are dealing with issues out of school at home as well.
Lanesboro Superintendent Matt Schultz credits HVED school psychologist Heidi Johnson with taking the lead on mental health for Lanesboro. Lanesboro opted to purchase additional time for Johnson; she is now at the school every day.
Johnson obtained a grant through the FFA for a full day session on mental health last spring. Students watched the documentary “My Ascension” about a failed suicide attempt. After that they broke into small discussion groups to talk about what they see in their own school. Each student received a mental health journal. Discussions continued during home rooms; students made posters to display around the school.
In addition, Lanesboro has used Telemedicine for secondary students. The program, empowerU, is fully online therapeutic services; students previously identified by the teacher assistance team are given access to empowerU.
In the fall of 2022, the empowerU owner spoke at Lanesboro’s small school teachers’ conference. Three Lanesboro teachers later piloted a teacher program from empowerU with great reviews. Schultz hopes to work with empowerU in May to offer the program to all teachers. This could help teachers meet the requirement for continuing mental health credits.
Local professionals come in to work with students as well; the school has reached out to Hiawatha Mental Health, but there has not been a lot of availability. An eight-week PBIS (positive behaviors and interventions) session is offered for older students.
Both Johnson and Schultz felt that people in rural communities are less likely to seek help and have fewer resources if they do.
Caledonia Superintendent Craig Ihrke shared that he hopes to establish the Family and Children Center, a mental health service from Winona, within the school. Previously, the center was located in the Houston County Courthouse in Caledonia. The school has found a space for the service; services will be billed to the client’s insurance so there will be no additional expense for the school. By having a location at the school, students will be able to use the services without parents needing to transport them thus saving families time and money. Ihrke felt it would be great to have a person on location at the school in addition to the usual counselors and other visiting mental health professionals.
Through EAP (Employees Assistance Program), staff are also able to access mental health programs at no additional cost; the school sent out information to the staff about this program’s availability. Staff development mental health training to increase staff awareness are regularly held.
Ihrke noted that today’s kids are less adept at entertaining themselves. With the increase in social media, kids are subject to more exposure; as a result, mental issues continue to increase. He said, “Counselors do a fantastic job of referring kids who need mental health.” He went on to remind people that the school is not a mental health facility, just as it is not a hospital to care for medical issues. Students are referred to experts for help.
At Houston, Principal Angela McQuinn shared that the elementary uses SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) curriculums. SPOTS is used in preK through third grade while RULER is used with grades four through six.
At monthly staff meetings and weekly check-ins, staff share how they are doing by using a variety of memes and other scales. Professional development about mental health is offered at Houston. Just as at Caledonia, EAP provides access to mental health resources at no additional charge with no further obligations.
McQuinn said kids are able to process their feelings better now. The “Name It and Tame It” exercise helps them recognize a feeling and learn how to deal with it.
Michael Mangan shared that the junior and senior high school students are in the third year of using a SEL curriculum called PATH (purpose, attitude, team and hope). PBIS is used on alternating weeks from the PATH curriculum.
Mangan mentioned the Sunshine Committee and Wednesday treats for teachers and the three Breakfast of Champions for staff and students each year also help mental health.
There is an open focus on identifying the challenges of mental health. A Hiawatha Valley Education therapist also travels to Houston to meet with clients.
Funding for the curriculum has come from COVID’s ESSER funds. A grant has been applied for from Prairie Care to support both mental health for both students and all community members. Seventh and eighth graders have spent some time looking at other available curriculum such as Till 360 and Renaissance which is offered by Josten’s.
At Kingsland, Superintendent Scott Klavetter explained the tier system approach they use. With their $40,000 from the state and self-funding the rest, they opted to add a second social worker. The biggest challenge has been to find qualified people. ESSER dollars were used to finish funding this; in the future, staff development dollars may be used.
For tier two, the school is using “Ramp Up to Readiness” curriculum with grades K-6. Both social workers work K-12th grade. One does triage with issues that arise, while the other is able to present scheduled events. By not having to cancel those scheduled presentations, Klavetter hopes to see a benefit for the students long-term.
Tier three is addressed by Zumbro Valley Health having an office at Kingsland school; this makes them part of the school community and helps students to open up to the therapist. Klavetter agrees with Caledonia that having the therapist on site saves both time and money. Parents sign a release of information that allows Zumbro and the school to communicate with each other.
Klavetter reported that staff has been able to apply for open-ended stipends for self-care projects. This year, staff chose the self-care book Onward, which is laid out following the school year, for a book study and teacher-led discussion.
Klavetter noted, “Kids grow up in the environment we create for them; we as adults and a society can no longer civilly disagree.” We need to change what we model to our kids. He also commented that resiliency is not as strong for kids. During distance learning, students could simply close the computer and withdraw. Now, they tend to ramp up behaviors so they can get kicked out of class.
Rushford-Peterson Superintendent Ben Bernard feels mental health and social interaction are both part of full body wellness. A grant from SE Services funded water bottle filling stations to improve water quality to improve full body wellness.
At the district level, money from the state was spent to add another counselor. With the addition of that counselor, some of work will shift and each of the mental health staff will be able to provide additional services. Lena Bergo, the HVED school psychologist is part of the R-P’s mental health team also.
Bernard believes that a positive post-COVID change has been that it has now become more acceptable for students to ask for help. The district wellness committee plans events for the entire school.
A year ago Kelly Smith, R-P’s school social worker, came up with the idea to create a student wellness room for high school students. She polled students, asking what they felt they needed. She also got input from Brenda Pohlman, Fillmore County Health Educator. Pohlman promoted the idea of including items to appeal to all senses in the room.
Over the summer, Smith, with the help of Jenny Helgemoe, the high school counselor, transformed a former conference room just off the media center. They equipped it with soft lighting, fidgets, puzzles, comfy seating, a soft rug, a step exerciser, a white board and a huge coloring poster.
Drinks, snacks, and sour candies are available. Smith explained that the sour candies can jumpstart a person’s para lymphatic system much like a splash of cold water. A Fillmore County SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership) grant and donations from the Trojan Armory (the school store) funded many of the purchases.
In the fall, the room was opened to three different teachers and their classes for a trial three-week period. On February 12, the room was opened officially; the name, Square One, was suggested by the brainstorming students in Mr. Hinke’s marketing class.
All staff and students were methodically briefed on the room and its use. Students are allowed to go to Square One when they need to after subtly ensuring their teacher knows where they are going. They sign in using their lunch numbers and the time; they then set a 10-minute timer. No backpacks, phones or vapes allowed in the room.
Since opening in February, the room has been used well over 50 times with no abuse of the room. Several times after using the room for the allotted 10 minutes, students have recognized that they need to talk to an adult about their problem. A bonus has been that kids have been writing inspirational quotes for each other on the white board.
At the elementary, a similar “Wiggle Room” is available near the SPED room for student use.
Each of the area schools have put their own spin on mental health services and found ways to best help their students. The funding that came from the state merely stipulated that the schools use the money to fund additional mental health resources. It sounds like all our local schools have put the funding to good use for their students!
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