Robert Windon: Barrington 220 Board of Education Mental Health Survey
NAMIBA: Mental health is a simmering crisis for many of our schoolchildren, partly hidden by isolation but increasingly evident in the distress of parents, the worries of counselors and early research.
As a member of the school board how would you address this crisis?
Robert Windon: As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, assessing the mental health of our children, and the entire community, must be one of our first priorities. We must recognize that children will not often seek out help before it is too late, for a variety of reasons. Therefore, our teacher and staff are our first line of defense. As a board member I would work with the administration to make sure that every teacher, and staff member, of the district has the resources they need to see the warning signs of our students. And then make sure the school has the appropriate procedures in place to work with parents and mental health professionals to intervene appropriately. I also think the district must bring discussions of mental health to the forefront for students and provide every student with basic coping skills.
Learn more by reading Robert Windon’s feature in the Daily Herald or by following him on Facebook. More information about the election can be found on District 220’s website. For more mental health resources, subscribe to NAMI Barrington Area’s newsletter.
