Dear Parents and Guardians:
As we move through our final acclimation day for students today, and look forward to the first day of academic classes tomorrow, we wanted to take a moment and share some of our thoughts on what mental health and wellness will look like this year at St. John's.
We have all experienced trauma in some way due to COVID-19 and the circumstances caused by it. For many of us, that has challenged the state of our mental health in a variety of ways. A global pandemic is not something you expect to happen in your day-to-day life, let alone over a prolonged period of time. In light of this, it is more important than ever that we take a proactive approach regarding mental health.
There are a variety of ways in which St. John's addresses, and will continue to address, the mental health of our students. School counselors and teachers actively partner to identify students that can benefit from mental health resources. School counselors intentionally engage with students in conversations about their mental wellness throughout the course of the school year. And this year in particular, faculty have participated in on-going workshops related to social-emotional learning and wellness, as well as trauma-informed teaching, focusing on positive relationships and establishing routines.
In addition, there are several pathways that can help provide students with direction and normalize the use of mental health resources as the school year begins.
School Counselors
- Students should never hesitate to reach out to their school counselor if they feel overwhelmed, are struggling to manage stress, or if you feel they would benefit from additional support. Their school counselors will talk you through an action plan that fits their current state and needs.
- We also have a school counselor dedicated solely to the social and emotional wellness of students, and who is a tremendous resource.
- There are many helpful resources available on the Community of Concern pages in the Parent Portal, compiled by school counseling, that we encourage you to familiarize yourself with.
Thriving Campus
Speaking with a trained professional can be a very helpful start to feeling more confident about moving forward during challenging times. Thriving Campus is an online database where you can search for and connect with a therapist who might be a good fit for your son based on a number of criteria (specialty areas, insurance, ability to provide video sessions, etc.).
Mental Health Resource Repository
We will be archiving resources related to mental health and wellness on the Student, Parent, and Faculty/Staff Portals. Stay tuned!
Wellness Opportunities
Intentionally responding to challenging times by incorporating wellness activities into our lives can help balance our experience in a positive way.
- St. John's is offering a number of recreational sport and strength and conditioning opportunities for students after school. View the full calendar here.
- In addition to the above opportunities, students in grades 6 and 9 participate in a ten-class mental skills course. These courses will introduce them to habits of mind that promote self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness, as well as healthy relationship and decision-making skills. Students in grades 7 and 8 will be receiving lessons on these topics in their health classes.
We hope that by highlighting these pathways to support, normalizing the use of mental health resources, and partnering to approach mental health and wellness in a proactive way, every Prep student is able to find the support they need in order to enjoy all that this new school experience offers.
Please never hesitate to reach out for any reason. We look forward to a fresh start and a new school year.
Keith Crowley
Principal / Associate Head of School
Conor Dowley
Director of School Counseling