Welcome back to school! This phrase creates all kinds of emotions in the children and adults directly impacted by “the day after Labor Day.” Excitement, stress, relief, anxiety, happiness, sadness and many more emotions are observable during the transition from summer break to a new school year. As a superintendent, I am always excited to start a new year and enjoy welcoming back students and staff in the fall. However, transitions are not always easy for everyone.
The transition into a new school year can be stressful on families. Setting regular bedtime routines and talking about what the family schedule will be when school starts are two great ways to help reduce the anxiety sometimes associated with the start of a new year. However, sometimes students need a little more help adjusting. Additionally, throughout the course of the school year various stressors arise, or there are signs that students may be in need of support services to assure they are able to do their very best in the classroom.
In Cook County, we are fortunate to have the Human Development Center (HDC) located right in Grand Marais. HDC has been working with the school for several years to provide support services on campus so students do not have to leave the building. This year, Accend Services out of Duluth is also providing support services within the district. We also have Anna Sandstrom, full-time student success coordinator, and Kristopher Hoffman, career and guidance counselor. Working together, they provide a wide range of support services to students. Teachers also receive training on mental health issues such as cutting, eating disorders, depression, how to address disruptive behaviors in the classroom and much more.
At the school, we have become very comfortable working with mental health experts and have seen positive results from the changes we have made over the past few years. Mental health issues, like other chronic diseases such as diabetes, can be controlled. Left untreated, they can be deadly. We strongly encourage parents who have concerns about their child’s mental wellness to find out about the services we can offer at the school. A little intervention early on can often result in a less stressful and more successful school year.
The Cook County School District 2014-15 Open House is scheduled for August 27, 3:30- 6:30 p.m. This is a great time to meet the student mental health staff and also gives students the chance to walk through their schedule, meet new teachers, find their lockers and take care of other business, all of which will help make their transition into the new school year less stressful. Welcome back, it’s shaping up to be a great year at Cook County School District!
Each month a representative of our local schools will offer thoughts in Issues in Education. This month’s contributor is Beth Schwarz, superintendent of School District 166.
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