A New Mental Health Initiative At CHS and A Fresh Look At The guidance Department

Julia Bevilacqua, 2024

10/07/2022

The Guidance Departments in each of the Cheshire Public Schools has always had a focus on student mental health and mental health education, and even more so recently with the aftereffects of COVID-19. Isolation and lack of communication with friends and family greatly impacted the mental health of teens across the nation. This year at CHS, health classes will feature something new; the Mental Health First Aid curriculum.

This new initiative is based on teaching students skills on how to regulate their emotions and manage mental health issues. Classes will also include lessons on signs and symptoms of major mental health disorders. Watching a friend struggle emotionally is difficult for all students. This class will give kids the ability to ask the right questions and what to do when they see someone who might be wrestling with strong emotions. Also, knowing what resources are available if a friend is struggling. This can look like “ I noticed…is everything ok? Did you know you can go to guidance if you need to talk?”

While researching the new curriculum for the Rampage, I’ve discovered how truly difficult it is for some students to go talk to a guidance counselor about things they have been struggling with. “I wouldn't feel comfortable talking to my guidance counselor about how I feel, just because I would be worried that they would go tell my parents,” Says one CHS Student. This reflects how many students feel, but it is extremely important that students know they can go to guidance for anything they need, whether it is emotionally related or a question about college applications. According to Michelle Catucci, the Guidance Department Chair, “Mental health should be a priority, and you can't learn if your mind is not here to learn.” Everything you say to a guidance counselor is confidential unless you or someone else is in immediate danger.

During freshman year all Guidance Counselors will reach out to their students to introduce themselves. Though, some people may still be uncomfortable with going up to guidance. In this case Mrs. Catucci suggests that students just come upstairs into the guidance office and walk by to see just how many students are there. All upperclassmen will have to have meetings with their guidance counselors about post secondary school plans, so it is helpful and encouraged that underclassmen try and build a relationship with their counselor. COVID really affected the ability for guidance counselors to build relationships with their students, “Biggest difficulty with COVID was it was hard to be engaged with students and even when we were masked, there were no facial expressions.” This means that this year especially all students if they haven't already should try and reach out to their assigned counselor.

CHS is all about having happy and healthy students, and you cannot learn if your mind is not present. Hopefully students will be able to learn more about mental health from the new health curriculum and available resources, like guidance counselors, this semester.