Social Emotional Well-Being

We recognize that the social emotional well-being of our students and staff during these challenging times is critically important. The school has made available resources and referrals to address mental health, behavioral, and emotional needs of students, faculty, and staff when school reopens for in-person instructions. The school has done this by: 

Mental Health, Behavioral, and Emotional Support Services and Programs

• Faculty will receive training in how to identify students that are exhibiting mental health, behavioral, and emotional needs.

• Each cohort will seek to hold a weekly meeting to address student concerns and feelings in a safe space. Faculty will receive training on how to do so.

• Faculty will refer concerns to the principal, who will work with the Superintendent’s Office, local public school district, and appropriate agencies to provide the families of these students with resources to help their child.

• The principal will monitor faculty and check in on a regular basis, and will provide resources to faculty as needed. The principal and pastor will remain available for counseling, and the Superintendent’s Office will be able to make recommendations for resources to be provided.

• The principal will engage with local agencies and organizations as appropriate to procure resources and make referrals as needed.

The school has established an Advisory Council that involves shared decision-making and will be composed of families, students, members of the board of education, community-based service providers, teachers, certified school counselors, and other pupil personnel service providers. The advisory council will inform the comprehensive developmental school counseling program plan.

The school will seek to provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff on how to talk with and support students during and after the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, as well as provide support for developing coping and resilience skills for students, faculty, and staff. This is addressed by:

• Providing staff training on how to hold weekly cohort meetings

• Providing staff with training on how to support students

• Providing staff with training on how to identify students in crisis, or who are exhibiting behaviors that indicate a concern for the student’s mental health, behavioral, and emotional wellbeing

• Engaging with the Superintendent, Catholic Schools Office, diocese, local public school district, and local agencies and organizations to offer training in these areas

• Distribute information (as it becomes available) to faculty, staff, and families regarding online training and seminars relating to mental health, behavioral and emotional needs