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Shout out to Holly Szumowski , Principal at Crolancia School and Debra Bray, Student Counsellor for Pickle Lake, Savant Lake and Sioux Lookout area !! On March 1st KPDSB partnered with the NWHU and hosted a Community Evening Session. The session had a great turn out, with multiple agencies set- ting up booths with information and resources for families and communi- ty members! GREAT JOB! As an employee of KPDSB, whether it’s a staff member doing front line work, or an individual working behind the scenes, you might be wondering what KPDSB has to offer in regards to services and supports for mental health and well-being for students. As outlined in the board’s 2016-2017 Mental Health and Addicons Strategy there are a number of resources and supports that target both student and staff mental health and well-being. Here are a few key highlights related to students: New this school year, we have student mental health focus groups being created at each of our secondary schools. These focus groups provide students with opportunies to learn about leadership, advocacy and change. The focus of the group is an awareness of promoon, literacy and capacity building of mental health, led by students for students. The students will apply to become a Jack.org Chapter which will allow them access to modules on mental health, as well as a small annual budget for organizaon of school events that aim to help to reduce the sgma associated with mental health. Students from Beaver Brae Secondary School, along with Grad Coach Ahnika Bruetsch, aended the Canadian Conference on Promong Healthy Relaon- ships for Youth; Breaking Down the Silos in Addressing Mental Health and Violence in London, Ontario. The opportunity was lead by Women’s Shelter Saakaate House, in partnership with KPDSB, FIREFLY and KCDSB. The students who aended various sessions at the conference will now work together to create a presentaon on the experience and content, to present to their peers and classmates. We have also been successful in hiring a new temporary student counsellor for the Red Lake area. Stephanie Meek, from the Kitchener area, will be relocang to the Red Lake area and starng on March 20th. We are connuing to move forward in our partnership with FIREFLY for School Based Counselling Support. We are happy to announce that Deegan Paerson has been successfully transioned in at Queen Elizabeth DHS! And Melissa Hoffstrom is the successful candidate for the FIREFLY/KPDSB Counselling Posion which will support Dryden High and Ignace School! Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Meek, Deegan Paerson & Melissa Hoffstrom! All stakeholders create a culture of learning so that students come first. MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING MARCH 2017 Created by KPDSB Mental Health Leader KPDSB Key Mental Health Resources and Supports for Students Student Counsellors, Grad Coaches, Special Ed SAT Team, Guidance, Safe & Supportive Schools Principal, Mental Health Leader Mental Health and Addictions Nurses (supporting BB, QE, and newly supporting Dryden High, Ignace and Vermillion Bay!!) KPSDB & FIREFLY School Based Counsellors (Sioux Lookout, Dryden & Ignace areas) KPDSB & FIREFLY Pilot Projects with Valleyview and Beaver Brae Dog Therapy Sessions Evergreen Public School SPARK Classrooms / Transition North Classrooms / Alternative Ed / Adult Ed Learning Environments KPDSB & Saakaate House Partnership Student Mental Health Focus Groups (Dryden High, Ignace, Queen Elizabeth, Beaver Brae, Crolancia, Red Lake DH) First nations mental health wheel/framework Rapid Intervention Service Kenora (RISK) Be Safe App (Sioux Lookout area) Tele Mental Health Education Sessions Monthly Consultations KPDSB Partnership with CAMH on Becoming Trauma Informed Upcoming Staff Mental Health Needs Assessment ASIST TRAINING UPDATE KPDSB will now have an internal ASIST trainer! Sheri Blake will be trained to offer Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training. Stay tuned for more information! SUPPORTING MINDS CLICK ABOVE
