Warsaw Schools Shine A Spotlight On Student Wellness
WARSAW — In September 2016, Warsaw Community Schools began intensive strategic planning in which students, parents and staff were given surveys. This led the administration to discover student wellness was a hot topic among all three groups that had not even been on their radar.
A core initiative team was created to bring awareness to the staff and make an impact with students.
A Lilly Endowment Counseling Initiative Planning grant was received. This allowed WCS to hold student focus groups for grades six through 12 along with in depth studies. The data collected allowed staff members to learn about certain factors that are affecting students’ lives including social media, drug use, peer cruelty, depression and anxiety. It also showed staff members many students are looking for tools to help themselves.
Partnering with various organizations including the local police, CASA, Kosciusko County Community Foundation and the Bowen Center, WCS helped to raise awareness regarding the importance of student wellness. These partners along with support from the school board helped to move this initiative forward. According to Lori Tilden, executive assistant to the superintendent, it “just seemed like doors opened and more would be given.”
Michele Borba, author of “UnSelfie,” helped WCS kick start the initiative by being the keynote speaker opening day, Tuesday, Aug. 15. The focus of her talk was on empathy and she discussed new strategies for teachers having “raw conversations” about mental health. Using the data from the WCS studies, Borba geared her talk toward dealing with specific issues the staff may face as well as ideas and plans that will particularly benefit them.
Every staff member at WCS also had a copy of Borba’s book made available to them because, according to Tilden “equipping teachers is the only way to reach every kid.” A corporation-wide Twitter book study will be set up with Borba as a member of the discussion to help staff members with implementing new strategies to build empathy in students.
A social-emotional wellness team has been created to oversee this initiative beginning this year. With between 15 and 20 people currently, it is one of the largest teams in the WCS. The team is made up not only of staff members but also parents, students and members of community organizations.
Dr. David Hoffert, WCS superintendent, has a true passion for the students and plans on doing whatever it takes to remain committed to their mission. Therefore, staff members have been given a 21-day challenge to pick one strategy suggested by Borba and implement it for 21 days to make it a habit. Strategy suggestions include posting inspiring quotes daily, daily high fives or handshakes with students and choosing three students a day for short, personal chats. Already positive feedback is being heard from students.
This wellness initiative will include all staff members so everyone is on the same page and will help to break the stigma of mental health. Krista Polston, grant and special projects coordinator, stated one of their main goals is for each student to have one adult to confide in and “that safe person might be a bus driver or custodian or cafeteria worker.”
Having one positive adult relationship when young has been shown to help children overcome negative life factors. As part of the initiative the staff wants all students to be able to form one meaningful relationship and, Polston is adamant they “want the all in the mission statement to mean all.”
Schools within the WCS are doing a variety of other initiatives that correspond with the overall wellness initiative. New student ambassadors and buddy benches have been seen in previous years, five building will be receiving masters-level interns from Grace College and Bowen Center to act as extra counselors and administrative assistants plan to have lunch with lunch buddies at different school each month.
Social-emotional wellness initiative team leaders will also be visiting other schools suggested by Borba who have implemented similar programs. They hope to learn new strategies they can implement at WCS from what is working elsewhere.