Living through a pandemic

As students headed back into classrooms for the first time since March, schools are faced with addressing not only the academic needs of students who lost 10 weeks of school, but the social-emotional toll of living through a pandemic.

As the nation recognizes National Suicide Prevention Week, which began Monday, the need for mental health resources for students continues to be prevalent.

Ashlei Venghaus, a guidance counselor at Mt. Pleasant High School, said there has been an uptick in the need for mental health resources in light of trauma caused by the pandemic. That trauma may be a result of anxiety triggered by having to live in isolation, death of loved ones or the stress of being at-risk.

'This pandemic could be a trauma in people's lives,” Venghaus said. 'It is a deep concern of mine for not only the students but the staff, the parents and the community.”

To help students with their mental health, the district's counselors have worked to get students the resources they need, connecting with all students through advisers and online surveys for those who are learning remotely.

Venghaus has been sending surveys to students and communicating with them through email and phone calls to make sure even those who aren't in school are having their mental health needs met.

'They don't have to fill it out, but it is there if they need it,” she said. 'Sometimes having it there gives them the opportunity to say something if they need it.”

In addition to school counselors, teachers are taking an active role in meeting the mental health needs of students.

According to Venghaus, as part of the district's social-emotional learning initiative, teachers have been trained on noticing a student who is struggling with mental health issues.

'Even without the training teachers are here for the kids, and they recognize those things,” Venghaus said. 'It's really helpful because I can't meet with those kids every day, so it's nice to have some eyes and ears.”

The district's social-emotional learning is not only for the teachers, however. Students are taught to notice the signs of someone in emotional distress. The students are also taught how to take care of themselves when they are feeling down and to take time every day to engage in self-care, to be mindful and to tell an adult when they or their friends are struggling.

'You may be OK today, but you never know when a pandemic will happen, a death in the family, a loss of a job, or stress will come in the way,” Venghaus said.

At the high school level, students are taught social-emotional curriculum through weekly videos and counseling sessions with advisers.

With elementary students, the district takes a more hands-on approach. Elementary school counselor Sara Leblanc teaches 42 different kindergarten through fifth-grade classes on how to deal with emotions, frustration, empathy and more. She visits the classes every two weeks to help elementary students become more equipped to handle what life might throw at them.

After two weeks back in classrooms, LeBlanc noted some students are having a more difficult time socializing after the extended time outside of school.

'They haven't been around friends for a long time, it's just getting back into the routine and what's appropriate at school and what's not. There's a learning curve there,” she said.

While not much can prepare younger students for a pandemic, LeBlanc had a few tips for helping students. She suggests that parents take the lead in reaffirming their child and modeling appropriate behavior. She also suggests that parents 'normalize and stabilize” as much as possible.

'Kids pick up their cues from the adults in their life … I think this is a critical time because how parents handle this actually sets the tone for how kids are gonna handle other crises in their life,” she said.

Both Venghaus and LeBlanc noted that social emotional learning, in all ages, is an important skill to develop and can help prepare them for any future obstacles.

'We are all going to go through stressful situations in life, that's almost a guarantee, but if you have those pieces in place it makes it a little easier to get through,” Venghaus said.

Ultimately, with the help of adults and educators, students will understand they are capable of persevering through difficult times, including a global pandemic.

'Kids are going to get through this with an understanding that crisis does happen in life, but … we work our way through it and we still realize that life does go on,” LeBlanc said.