Sandra Ficke-Bradford: 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?
Sandra Ficke-Bradford: “We have witnessed so much division over the last year, and I am hopeful that we can come together as a board and as a community to recognize that we are all working towards the same goal: the academic success and social and emotional wellbeing of our children.
Acknowledging the crisis is the first step. We have a real and undeniable responsibility to help all children in our district. As a school board member, I will continue to ask the administration to provide the training for teachers and the resources needed to address students in need, which include identification and assistance of staff and students at risk and additional outreach programs to increase awareness.
We need to realize that the effects of this mental health crisis will likely live for the entirety of these students’ educational career and adjust accordingly.”
Learn more by visiting Sandra Ficke-Bradford’s website or by following her 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.
