On Monday March 6, the District hosted “Think Haus,” an initiative of Lakeland University to engage in community conversations. The evening’s topic was mental health and wellness and the importance of information and community involvement in finding support for those affected. The event was held at the Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library and was open to the public.
Christie Gause-Bemis, a Department of Public Instruction education consultant, spoke with an interested crowd of approximately 30 community members. Ann Roy, director of student services, co-presented. Gause-Bemis underscored the importance of community involvement.
As more and more school districts and communities become increasingly aware of the need for more mental health services, the District is seeking to be proactive and open up lines of communication as it seeks community collaboration.
To guide its efforts, amongst other things, the District completed the State of Wisconsin’s Mental Health Assessment of the District. Using the results, a core committee of staff members, working with Ann Roy, have identified five core priorities for the District, including:
1. Help all staff learn more about mental health, including mental illness and wellness.
2. Identify and “map” system-wide resources that exist to address mental health issues.
3. Provide opportunities for all students to learn more about mental health.
4. Implement mental health wellness curriculum.
5. Develop a clear and consistent referral process, including referral to outside resources.
Roy also presented to the Board of Education earlier in April about this topic. Roy presented these priorities and other detailed information to the Board of Education about the mental health issues affecting the schools. She explained the actions that have been taken already and discussed possible future actions. The presentation was intended to provide the Board with an in-depth look at this issue as the District plans its next steps.
