SCRANTON, Pa. — It's the first full week of classes in the Scranton School District and administrators are working on lots of learning and also promoting mental health awareness.
"School districts, not only here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, but across the commonwealth and across the country, have realized that there's no way we could have learning until our students and our staff are in the right mental health," said Assistant Superintendent Al O'Donnell.
The district has been prioritizing the mental health of students and staff. A growing concern, O'Donnell says, has been going on here at home and across the country.
"We, The Scranton School District, have realized that there is a mental health crisis in not only Northeastern Pennsylvania but throughout the United States with our Children," said O'Donnell. "And we have to address it."
Supervisor of Mental Health Programs Liz Hemphill was brought into the district two years ago to address the problems she says are affecting younger and younger students.
"In order to be able to access instruction and information, you need to be in a stable spot mentally and so and emotionally behaviorally. And so we're trying to help students to learn skills to cope with the stressors they're facing," said Hemphill.
With the new year underway, Hemphill says she and other staff members are working closely with students to try and alleviate the issues brought on by stress.
"Over the last few years, we've implemented, we have a social emotional learning curriculum called Character Strong, which has been wonderful. And that's K through 12," said Hemphill. "We also have a Panorama survey which we do three times a year to test the climate and see, you know, are our interventions working for students."
Hemphill urges any students across the district feeling the pressure of the new school year to reach out to their school's mental health professional or a school counselor.