How Coeburn Primary Fosters Strong Connections With Their Students And Families
Schools Are The Key To Mental Health
Schools' pivotal role in the social-emotional wellbeing of students is on full display.
Reports of mental health crises have soared. Students lament the isolation from their peers and teachers. These have become the leading storylines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SMART Technologies surveyed more than 1,000 teachers this year. Teachers' biggest concern? The mental health of their students.
This echoes research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents have doubled since before the pandemic.
But, teachers are determined to foster strong connections with their students and families. Half of the respondents reported that their connections with students have actually improved.
Coeburn Primary Fosters Strong Connections With Their Students And Families With 'Awesome Kid Day'
Coeburn Primary School addressed this need for connection head-on with Awesome Kid Day. The goal? To celebrate the joy and promise that a new school year brings.
Coeburn serves the families of rural, Appalachian Virginia. As a Title 1 school, Coeburn acts as a beacon of hope to the low-income families whose children fill its classrooms.
The staff at Coeburn are bound by a shared vision, one founded in the African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.”
Teachers and staff make it a priority to provide a safe, welcoming place for children to grow and learn.
Amanda Blevins is the family engagement coordinator who first envisioned this annual celebration. To her, bringing together all the people involved in raising the children of the town is key.
"Whether they're a teacher, a parent, a coach, a neighbor, a principal, any positive role model, in that child's life determines what kind of adult they become", Blevins said.
Explore How This Monthly Event Forges A Deep Sense Of Trust Between The School And The Families It Serves And The Lumio Activities That Support It.
#ConnectionsThatMatter
This story is part of #ConnectionsThatMatter, a global initiative to highlight the pioneering ways educators are building and strengthening connections that foster learning, including connecting students to real-world problems, investing in social-emotional learning, and building deeper ties between school and home.
As part of this initiative, selected schools share lesson activities and resources that strengthen connections among peers, between educators and students, and between families and the classroom. The lessons are available for free in the Connections that Matter collection within Lumio, named the "best education collaboration software for teachers."