‘May it be Healthy’

MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant Community School District will host “May it be Healthy” May 3 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

This event is being held with middle school and high school parents in mind, however, it is open to the whole community.

The schools are coming together to take an active approach to the struggles many students have coming out of the pandemic.

May is national Mental Health Awareness month and middle school counselor Brianna Porter thought it was perfect timing to bring awareness to the community.

According to student family advocate Martha Peterson the school district is partnering with a program named S.O.S (Signs Of Suicide).

The program was first delivered to staff of the district in January, and the next step outlined by the S.O.S. program is to roll out information to the community this May.

The information will be given to students after the spring event, but the school district is going to hold off until fall for the middle schoolers.

The hope is to give the community, students, teachers, and parents all similar language to work through these difficult issues.

“The event will have a panel of experts on mental health, regular health, and nutritional health,” Porter said.

“Chris Johnson from the school district will speak on tech and mental healthy,” Peterson said.

Johnson has a background in cybersecurity.

“We want to get to a world where there isn’t as much of a stigma around mental health,” Peterson said.

Porter sees this as an opportunity for parents to come ask questions and get insight into what to look for and how to start these tough conversations with their children.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com