No One Gets Left Behind
North Campus Staff, including teachers and mental health counselors, prepare care packages for Rosemary Anderson students during Distance Learning.
A recent article in the New York Times regarding the rise in suicide due to lockdown isolation gave our schools' mental health counselors pause. With Oregon still under restricted COVID-19 lockdowns, Rosemary Anderson Schools continue to operate under the Distance Learning model. Even though Administration is currently working on plans to reopen safely, RAHS students must navigate their remote learning while dealing with a myriad of potential obstacles, all during the ongoing pandemic. To our therapists, one of the most significant difficulties is helping students care for their mental health.
The importance of overall well-being and mental health has always been at the top of our counselors' minds. Still, the pandemic has made an already hidden threat recede more profoundly into the shadows, making the counselors' jobs even more challenging. Combating the specter of isolation-induced depression has driven our support staff to engage on a deeper level. In addition to the isolation, the trauma resulting from increased violence in Portland has deeply impacted our school communities. School staff saw the need to meet students where they are.
Our school community has taken an active and holistic strategy to address student well-being through a relationship-based approach. This approach includes, but is not limited to:
Phone calls
Texts
Home visits
Connecting students to appropriate social and community resources
Delivery of school/household/food supplies
Mailing of personalized cards
The images above illustrate the time and dedication RAHS staff takes to brighten up a student's day.
In addition to increased outreach, a heightened community response means targeted referrals from staff who are more tuned in to a student's emotional state. As a result, our mental health team quickly engages students identified as having mental health concerns, or who appear to be struggling, or desire a safe space to process.
Overall, during this modified way of conducting classes during Distance Learning, the school community has worked diligently to create a sense of connection and community for all Rosemary Anderson students. Through this approach, school staff has experienced a positive impact on studentsβ well-being. To get even more in tune with students' and participants' overall mental health, our mental health counselors will be conducting a general poll to gauge how the current circumstances are affecting our community.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please visit this site to find resources.
