Activities That Promote Wellness

Educating students about their mental health is important so they can effectively express and manage their emotions in ways that support their overall well-being. Students should also be able to identify when and how to seek help. Activities that promote wellness and mental health awareness are ongoing and can include: 

• At the elementary and middle schools, school counselors hold support groups for students during lunch periods so there is no impact to students' academic schedules. The groups focus on such topics as stress management, identifying feelings, how to be a friend, self-esteem building and coping with divorce in their family
   
• High school counseling staff partner with health and physical education teachers to teach students about emotional wellness, suicide prevention and managing stress and anxiety.
   
• Middle school counseling staff talk with students about such topics as practicing positive decision-making, identifying and using coping skills and creating healthy relationships. They teach lessons on self-awareness, communication skills, mental health, anxiety, depression and suicide awareness.
   
• Elementary classroom lessons focus on teaching skills for learning, empathy, emotion regulation and problem-solving.
   
• High school students have participated in suicide awareness programs provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention each of the past three years.
   
• Parent night presentations have been offered that focus on such topics as anxiety depression, suicide prevention and eating disorders.
   
• Therapy dogs work at CHS performing a variety of services, such as greeting students in the morning, visiting classrooms and spending time with students who were having a difficult day.