Addressing Mental Health for Students in Lowell Area Schools Part 1

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Mental health can be a tough topic to discuss, but it’s an important one nonetheless.  Lowell Area Schools (LAS) uses Michigan’s Social-Emotional Learning competencies as a guide to address student needs and how to help them.  Due to school budgets, there has been varying levels of support provided at each school by counselors and social workers.  Because a school environment is not a clinical setting, it can be a challenge to understand needs while trying to meet them.  However, the district is embracing a whole child approach at all levels, addressing not only educational needs.  

Addressing Mental Health

While it is important for schools to be aware of mental health issues, it’s hard to meet the needs of all students while providing the necessary training for teachers and staff.  “There is much more awareness and understanding of the role that trauma plays in student behavior and their ability to learn.” says Nate Fowler, LAS Curriculum Director. The district looks to be an advocate for mental health but realizes there are also challenges.  “In addition to increased awareness, we recognize that teachers are not necessarily trained to deal with issues regarding mental health. We hope to continue to empower teachers with tools to support students who may be dealing with mental health issues.”

Joe Martino of Joe Martino Counseling believes society is better at talking about mental health issues but worse when it comes to results compared to years past.  He views unspoken expectations and parents solving problems for children leading to a “lack of resilience”. Martino feels positive mental health starts at home.  Creating a constructive home environment where parents and caregivers take responsibility and teach it to children will result in fewer mental health issues. “Secure kids happen because of parents.” says Martino.  He’s an advocate of teaching skills that provide a base for responding to positive and negative surroundings. He feels kids have an inability to deal with distress because parents fix situations rather than let children feel emotions such as anger, sadness, failure and fear.  He suggests teaching kids awareness of themselves and others and that this knowledge is powerful and needed for positive mental health.  

The role of teacher and staff at schools should take when it comes to mental health is complex.  The primary role and expertise of LAS is to educate rather than treat mental health according to Lowell High School Principal Steve Gough.  “The school should focus on creating systems and structures to support students as they develop and ensure that students/families can connect with the necessary and appropriate agencies for treatment if/when necessary.” he says.  “We should also work in the school setting to ensure a healthy school culture/climate where all students feel safe, respected, and cared for so that students are able to reach out when they need help.” 

Students at the elementary, middle school, or high school level are faced with mental health challenges.  According to Fowler, a rise in anxiety and depression is seen in students at all levels. Through a program called Bridging the Gap, counseling services are provided to students throughout the district.  Cost and transportation barriers are eliminated with therapists coming directly to schools to provide students with the help they need. During the 2017-2018 school year 57 students were served and during the last school year 50 students were seen.  

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Elementary Students

Elementary school is usually seen as a time of learning basics.  Fond memories of fun projects, field trips, and forming friendships are often remembered when those who have completed this stage of schooling look back.  While these things still take place, they can also be overshadowed by pressure that can lead to anxiety at an early age. Social expectations along with educational goals can be a source of strife for many students.  Some can handle the tension while others need help in navigating.  

Shelli Otten, Principal at Cherry Creek Elementary (CCE) agrees that higher anxiety is seen in students at the elementary level.  She says students face a great deal of pressure from a variety of sources. The building is home to one social worker three days a week who works with students who are eligible through special education services.  General education students see a behavioral interventionist who is also a social worker available four and a half days a week. The school aims at providing a positive environment for all students. Monthly assemblies promote kindness and making good choices that focus on character traits and address areas that may be a behavior concern.   

Otten looks to reward good behavior as a method of showing students a cause and effect.  She feels younger students with mental health issues often act out because they do not know how to express their feelings.  The Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) model to teach and promote desired conduct from students. 

Heightened anxiety in younger students can often lead to behavior issues.  There are approximately 25 students at CCE who are on individual behavior plans related to behavior or academics.  Students on this plan receive daily school/home communication and additional adults are involved throughout the school day to support these students.  Plans have individualized goals for each student that include check in/out points between students and an adult throughout the day.

Graphic provided by Shelli Otten.

Some students at Cherry Creek, and throughout the district, also work with Kids Hope mentors.  One hour a week a student and mentor meet to talk, play a game, or whatever else may be needed to provide a positive influence and role model.  Individual attention can go a long way in helping students with mental health, coping with issues, and making good choices. Currently CCE has 10 students participating in this program.

Success is measured through a decrease in behavioral referrals and an increase in academic success according to Otten.  Tracking behavioral referrals, location, and types of behavior provides data which is used to design specific strategies to support the needs of students.  Data is analyzed monthly by a PBIS group consisting of Otten, Bobby Rickstad, the school’s behavior interventionist, teacher reps from each grade level, the building’s social worker, and special education teacher.  Students graduate from individual plans when they have met daily goals for 80% of the time over a six-week period.  

“We have a whole school approach that involves staff, students and parents. As part of our Positive Behavior Interventions and support program, we continuously teach, practice, and recognize expected behaviors in all parts of the school.” says Otten.  Students who show expected behaviors are rewarded through classroom celebrations, champs tickets to use in a school store, monthly behavior celebrations and student of the week recognition.  

CCE lists the following steps as some that are used in creating a positive learning environment.

  • Providing social and emotional skills programs, such as the individual behavior plans and our small groups
  • Teaching expected behaviors and providing positive reinforcement when the behaviors are shown
  • Providing timely support, often including outside agencies, for students who have additional needs
  • Involving both students and families in decision-making and plans

Otten says the most important characteristic students struggle with is being resilient as they cope with and thrive while facing negative events, challenges or adversity.  This skill is developed through positive social connections, a safe, predictable environment, and teaching life skills. Individual students as well as the entire student body are shown these mechanisms.  “Staff understands that misbehavior can be related to student anxiety or due to events that are beyond the classroom; they work to provide healthy outlets and structure at school for students to increase on-task behavior.” remarks Otten.  

Check back for part two and three of this series where we’ll take a look at what middle school and high school counselors are doing to tackle mental health within the district.

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