Mental Health Awareness Month: How We’re Building Better Support for Students
At Green Dot, our learning communities care for the wellbeing of the whole student, academically and socioemotionally, to prepare them for success in college, leadership, and life. This is why we have allied ourselves with communities, leaders, and national organizations in recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month. This month serves as a reminder of the importance of our mental health, while dismantling the stigma associated with caring for it.
Over the last two decades, our campuses, school leaders, counselors, administrators, and school psychologists have collaborated to find new ways to support our students, to give them the support they need to overcome any and all barriers to education.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented shift in the way we serve our students. As educators, it challenged us to reflect and innovate how we cultivate and support our students, especially in virtual environments. As a result, we have significant investments and forged virtual pathways to better support the socioemotional well-being of our students both inside and outside of our classrooms.
Here’s how our schools are standing up for mental health awareness.
A Jab at Socioemotional Lessons
Jessica Hubbard recognized that often a student’s misbehavior is indicative of a need for more socioemotional support. In her second year at Fairley High Shcool, Hubbard began the Grindhouse Boxing Program with just a handful of students who needed extra support and structure at school.
Cultivating the Whole Child
We cannot expect strong academic growth and success from students who aren’t also supported mentally and emotionally. But our schools are here to help.
The Bridge Between Families and Schools
Too often external factors beyond the classroom impede on student achievement and success. Unaddressed trauma, exposure to high stress environments, and mental health challenges can disrupt students’ learning and lead to increased behavioral issues and school dropout rates. At Green Dot, we share an unwavering belief in the potential of all students. To help unlock it, we turn to our school psychologists who seek to eliminate all barriers to learning.
Innovating Advisory Courses for Socioemotional Care
Our schools’ Advisory model provides students with a safe space to build positive relationships, increase academic resilience, and develop college-ready skills outside of their core classes. Amid distance learning, our advisory has remained a crucial safe zone for students where students cope with the unprecedented shifts in their lives.