Aug 31, 2022 6 min read

It is sometimes difficult for students to transition from home events to being prepared with intense learning throughout the day. At times, our students are overwhelmed with the expectations placed on them. At Burgettstown, we acknowledge those students and the toll that Mental Illness has on them. The Burgettstown School District has identified that the transition is most difficult at the Middle/High School level. Our school counselor Beth Roman and our 8th grade Science teacher Liz Bebo teamed up to create a wellness homeroom for those struggling students. The students can start their day in the room listening to soothing music, participating in meditation or activities on paper in a classroom environment that is welcoming. When walking into the room, there is an ambiance of calming lighting and alternative seating. It gives them a calm place to start their day. If a student is having a difficult morning, they can stay with the teacher or see the school counselor until they are ready to go to class. Students also report during a 20 minutes period in the middle of the day. During this time, students learn stress management, relax , and get caught up on work. Ms. Bebo also invites students to come to her room with a friend for lunch. Students love it because it is a calm and quiet place during the school day. If our students continue to struggle, they can choose to visit that room throughout the day. The district is hoping to implement a similar homeroom next year at the High School Level.

SCOTT MARTIN – It’s interesting this is what w’ere talking about, PA youth survey is offered to SD’s every 3 years, questions that SDs can opt into, on drug use, alcohol, depression, lot of data, ours indicated, last one, there was a lot of suicide ideations, compares it to the state and national averages, so it’s a good information to use in writing grants, used it for that, grant into state I have right now that focus on suicide ideations, if we get it, we can bring someone in to talk to students and community. 

Initial things I though about is do we want to talk about it, answer is no, it helps if you talk about things, if you try to bury things, your’e constantly dealing with it. Don’t suffer in silence, they nee to talk to people about things. 

Are kids cutting, doing self-injurious behaviors, because of MH program, we’re familiar with that quite a bit, we have kids that rub themselves with eraser, the whole reasoning behind self injury is they’re in control of that, from MH workers.

what we found this year is our mental health program is filled in elementary, middle and high school, we usually do, it filled up very quick from very beginnings. They meet daily with mental health professionals, we have 10 MH professionals from Centerville, meet thoughout the day, can meet multiple times per day.

There are close to 50 students. And we’ve been in conversations about expanding it. The need is definitely there, we’ve received phone calls from other districts asking if there’s other spots. 

I t think it’s definitely attributed to the isolation of the pandemic, some of it is attributed to just coming back, because we were out so long, coming back and not knowing how to interact with others in an poisotiibew. 

Pulled up Pa Youth Survey. New one came out 2021 results from Commission of Crime and Delinquency, DOE and Drug and Alcohol.

Can give real startling data, I tell people this is the reason you do it. We have data on the number of suicides before entering program and after being in the program. That’s one statistic that’s amazing. Info up to the pandemic: we had in 8 year time period, had served 88 students who came through the high school, we have 87% gradation rate in the partial, higher than state average, prior to coming into partial, those 88 students had 198 hospitalizations, dropped to 47, prior to partial, 29 suicide attempts, went to hospital, that reduced to 6. These are students from 10 different SD, cal, ring gold, McGuffey canon Mac Peters, trinity,

Centerville Partila Program at Betnwenrth. 2011 it was impelemtnd.  WE’ve bee in e we have good data. Those kids who didn’t graduate were from our first year. after that, I’d say our graduation rate is about 98%

We’re just blessed with the collaboration we have with centerville clinics, it’s a difficult program financially, their reimbursement they receive for working with students is very very Lowe, we pay them, but not fully, it’s been a very good collaboration, we know and they know it’s beneficial to students, this is a very good way to meet students where they are, in school, we have kids in AP classes and regular classes, provide. 

Typically they wouldn’t have the same opportunities, they have their mental health needs met and get a true high school expericen. 

The purpose of the BC2M Club is focused on bringing awareness to MH issues, eliminating stigma around MH and creating a positive environment.

Started in 2021 school year first BC2M high school we were, there are one or two more now. 

At the time, student MH issues have been, there’s been an increase in students dealing with MH issues over the past few years, especially exacerbated by COVID, kids have experienced a change in their ed, social and home lives, it’s important for us in a shock lot try to do eerthpeything we can to help kids increase their wellness and not be ashamed and embarrass about MH issues.

Te club is making positive defense by helping kids be less afraid to acknowledge they have MH issue, and doing things that are good for us, positive self-care, after school we did yoga, to help kids take care of physical and mental health. We had we try to create a positive environment by sending out candy grams for different holidays, Easter egg hunt, we had spider web. Through our club meetings we’ve tried to focus on education and advocacy.

Id’ like people to know we’re proud that it’s a student-led club, the kids really determine the direction of the club to make us an event and activity led organization. With membership, kids are given access to HeadSpace, because BC2M club does care about self-care. It’s an app on meditation and positive coping strategy. meditation and mindfulness training. Students who join BC2M get a free meditation app.

Founded by Glenn Close…the importance of BC2M to let kids know it’s ok to have MH issues, to try to normalize that, that there’s nothing to be ashamed of .

We did rock painting, just to get together to listen to music and journal. it is, we do want to have education and advocacy based things.

1 in 5 youth have a MH condition, 50% of MH illnesses begin by the age of 15. research shows half of all MI begins by age of 14, that’s the heart of our jr senior high school. launched by Mary Spegal and Karol Snead.