Component I: A detailed description of the family/communityComponent I: A detailed description of the family/community need that was chosen to

positively impact student learning.

In our first faculty meeting this school year, we discussed how mental health is impacting

our students and how we can help address this problem. Our school counselors reported

significant increases our high school students in having persistent feelings of sadness or

hopelessness, having seriously considered attempting suicide, and having attempted suicide.

Before the pandemic, youth mental health was already a concern in our school but has

worsened during the pandemic as it was affected by the school closure, social isolation, family

economic hardship, and fear of family loss or illness. In the last two years, there were 3

reported student deaths due to suicide. In my own classroom, I am currently dealing with a

student who is experiencing significant emotional and behavioral difficulties due to changes in

family dynamics. The student is demonstrating persistent feelings of hopelessness, frustration,

loss of interest in most activities, suicidal thoughts, and aggressive behaviors that are

significantly affecting his performance at school and at home. I have consulted with our

districts behavioral specialist, school administrators, counselors, and our social worker to help

address this problem. The team is currently working with the students family to address mental

health implications primarily caused by changes at the students home environment to reduce

further distress or secondary crises.

3

Component II: A detailed description of how I chose the small working group of staff,

family, student and/or community, including how the group equally represents the

diverse school community.

For the last 19 years, DF, a 20 year old student with Autism, has been used to his daily

routine which includes going to school in the morning and going home to mom and dad. Mom

takes him shopping and dad takes him fishing on the weekends. They watched movies and ate

pizza every Friday night. That all changed a little over a year ago when his parents separated.

At first, his parents hid it from DF by still living in the same house but staying in separate areas

in the house, mom living in the basement and dad staying in the bedroom upstairs. When the

school year ended in June last year, the divorce was finalized. Dad took in a new friend and

mom got kicked out of the house. DF shuffled between two homes for about a half a year until

mom remarried and moved to a different state.