Your student’s school wants your help

Your student’s school is working hard to create a healthy and supportive environment for all students to learn and succeed. When we talk about the health of our students, we have to look beyond physical health, and also focus on building strong and resilient minds. Building resilient students means they are better able to handle and bounce back from challenges they may face in and out school - which leads to better health and better academic achievement.

Students face challenges every day. That could be at school, on the playground, or in the classroom. But circumstances outside of school - often completely out of their control - also impact youth in serious ways. When students experience negative or even traumatic events, the resulting stress can hurt their ability to focus and learn at school.

The good news is that there is great work being done in the Fresno community to create the support systems students need in and out school to feel safe and supported, no matter their circumstance. This community effort includes school districts, community organizations, and businesses all working together to build resilient students and families.

Youth spend a huge portion of their day, and year, at school - which makes the school setting a very important part of supporting our youth physical and mental well being. Students’ mental health and how they are feeling emotionally can affect all aspects of their development, including: physical, thinking and learning, behavior, and social and emotional skills. This is why schools are working to incorporate more policies and practices that focus on positive relationships between students and teachers, anti-bullying programs, reducing reminders of difficult events students may have had like loss or violence, and new approaches to discipline and conflict that help students build skills for the future rather than simply receiving punishment. These efforts together help create a safe and welcoming place for happier, healthier, successful students.

Parents and caregivers also have a key role to play. When you work with community organizations and connect with schools to be part of the conversation around student mental and emotional well being, all of these policies and programs are more successful. Who better to share their experience and opinions on how schools can best support our students and families, than the people who know your student and your neighborhood best? YOU.

So spread the word by sharing the video below (who doesn’t love puppets!?), and check out the section above for easy ways to take action!

he work to support mental health in schools is meant to compliment all the great work being done to improve physical health like nutrition and physical activity programs. All of this combined makes up the larger idea of “School Wellness.” School wellness efforts are aimed at creating the healthiest school environment possible for our youth. Schools provide a place for students to not only learn what’s in their books and on the whiteboard, but to develop healthy habits like being physically active, healthy eating, and building positive social and emotional skills.  And guess what? Students who eat well, stay active, and feel supported and strong emotionally, also perform better in school, showing higher grades and test scores.

All school districts already have written standards in place to make sure they provide your students with the healthiest school environment possible - typically referred to as a School Wellness Policy. But they need parents and families like you to make sure those standards are up to par, and that they are actually implemented at your individual schools!

Check out the video below to learn more about school wellness and why it matters.