2014 SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY RESPONSE
MENTAL HEALTH
HANDBOOK
Introduction
This handbook is intended to be a tool kit for the St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School
community. It is a response to the school climate survey results. The school administration, staff,
students and parents worked collaboratively to respond to the needs identified by students.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the original planning team
Admin
Domenic Scuglia,
Melton Moyo,
Staff
Larissa Demitcheva,
Laura Ierrullo,
Robert McGarrigle,
Jim Stevens,
Kate Treacy,
Students
Adam Barry,
Laura Fraser,
Kelly Gary,
Oliveigha Gauthier,
Domenica Pannozza,
Parents
Olga Partenen,
Donna Psaila,
Principal
Vice principal
Science Teacher
Religion and Art Teacher
Department Head Religion
Department Head Guidance
Religion Teacher
Student
Student
Student
Student
Student
Parent
Parent
A special thank you goes out to Mr. Michael Woodrow who has converted the booklets into
ebooks; to Ms. Jennifer Gerwlivch and Ms. Michelle Miranda who have assisted in editing the
document and providing valuable insights and strands
Responding to Student Needs
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one
another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” JN;
13:33-35.
In the fall of 2012, our grade ten and twelve students participated in a School Climate Survey.
This survey, administered in all schools in the YCDSB, provided students with an opportunity to
identify specific strengths, weaknesses, and concerns within their educational environment. The
data collected, compiled specifically for each school, provided insight into student perception of
our community, identifying several areas of strength, but also three specific items of concern.
These highlighted items of concern are: drug abuse, bullying, and issues of mental health.
SMK Mission Statement
“ As a Christ-centred inclusive learning community, St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School
celebrates and nurtures our unique potential. Through diverse programming, open dialogue, and
mutual respect, success is possible for all.”
In keeping with the words and spirit of our mission statement, we are a community committed to
the safety and well being of our students. In facilitating their healthy intellectual, spiritual, and
physical development, it was incumbent upon us to respond to the needs communicated to us.
Working with students, teachers, administrators, and parents; several initiatives were undertaken
to address the specific concerns identified by the survey results. This guide book, the end product
after much dialogue, analysis, and reflection, is one such initiative.
Mental Health Awareness
Table of Contents
Implementation Strategies
Template for Teachers
Triggers or Look for’s
Curriculum Links
Ministry Policy
Resources
Implementations Stage
a) Activities that the school will focus on for the year
b) Classroom presentations
c) Assemblies for both students and parents
In an effort to curb bullying within the St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School, we will
endeavour to do the following:
Group
Activity
Month
Ubuntu
Hold Assemblies
Black History Month Group
Activities
February
Catholic School Council
Guest Speakers for both
Ongoing
parents and students
Administration
Assembly
September and February
Classroom Teachers
Infuse in curriculum
on-going
Grade 10 career classes
Guest Speakers in Careers
ongoing
Template for teachers
Strategies that the school can adopt to address some of the areas of need.
Mental Health Awareness Club - provide opportunities to discuss and promote mental health
awareness throughout the school and community. With an aim to eliminate stigma towards
mental illness and create an environment where students, staff and faculty members can discuss
and learn about mental health together.
Ideas for the Club: Raise awareness about mental health and mental illness through a variety of
events (e.g. Speaker Series, special lectures, symposiums) to create an environment where
individuals can freely communicate about their questions about mental health and mental wellbeing.
Eliminate stigma towards mental illness by disseminating information through our events and
communications, and helping individuals understand mental illness is non-discriminatory in who
it affects.
Provide connections to mental health resources and establish an inclusive, understanding school
environment to help students achieve optimal mental wellness.
Encourage interdisciplinary and inter-professional participation by interacting with students and
faculty in health science disciplines and non-health science disciplines through the promotion of
our events.
Offer professional and volunteer opportunities within the St. Max community and external
organizations to allow students to gain knowledge on relevant mental health topics.
Healthy Food Cooking Club
Ideas for the club: Ways to help students learn and practice their new skills for healthy living.
• Ask teachers to talk about healthy cooking and nutrition in relevant courses
• Attend a healthy eating conference and share what you learned with your class
Ways to work together on healthy school programs.
• Contact your local grocery store about selling subsidized fruits and vegetables at school
• Get involved in a healthy schools committee to discuss healthy topics
• Partner with a community group to start a ‘Breakfast Club’
• Publish a healthy eating cookbook with recipes from students and staff, with nutritional
information, healthy food choices and substitutions
• Start a healthy food cooking club to cater events at your school
• Encourage students to stay at school for lunch by offering entertainment that communicates
healthy messages
• Invite local chefs to teach students about healthy cooking
• Partner with a local nursery to learn about growing fresh vegetables
• Post information in your cafeteria about healthy eating and drinking
• Create an area where students can eat healthy, home-made lunches
Language that members of the
St. Maximilian Kolbe Community
will pay attention to:
Frequently used terms
What to do
Language/Phrases that
may include although
not limited to :
“life is not worth
living.”
•
•
Language/Phrases that
may include although
not limited to :”why do
you care so much?”
•
•
•
Take time to speak to the student privately
Report to guidance, chaplaincy, BRS and or admin
A parent contact may be necessary by admin, guidance, BRS or
chaplaincy
Language/Phrases that
may include although
not limited to :
“I’m done…”
•
•
Students report to teacher/guidance./admin/adult
Students/teachers/parents correct language by informing the
user of why it is inappropriate
Admin to contact parents, and recommend a visit to a physician
Admin to contact police if warranted
Admin to make referral to BRS and Psychologist
Reports by students
about a friend who uses
the above mentioned
language.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students report to teacher/guidance./admin/adult
Students/teachers/parents correct language by informing the
user of why it is inappropriate
Admin to contact parents, and recommend a visit to a physician
Admin to contact police if warranted
Admin to make referral to BRS and Psychologist
Students report to teacher/guidance./admin/adult
Students/teachers/parents correct language by informing the
user of why it is inappropriate
Admin to contact parents, and recommend a visit to a physician
Admin to contact police if warranted
Admin to make referral to BRS and Psychologist
Triggers to Look For when a student/child
exhibits unusual behaviours/signs
suggestive of Mental Health concerns.
Triggers/Look Fors
Withdrawn in class
Appropriate response by Adults
•
•
•
•
•
Cuts on arms
•
•
•
•
•
Change in
personality
•
•
•
Absenteeism
•
•
•
•
Change in
Appearance/Drastic
Weight Loss/Gain
•
•
•
Appropriate response
by Students
Talk to the student in private and enquire
if everything is alright
Inform parents of your observations
Inform admin of your observations
Teachers create an atmosphere where
students can report bullying
Admin to continually reinforce to students
that reporters of bullies will not be
revealed…create an atmosphere of trust.
•
Report to an
adult
Alert administration
Alert guidance counsellors
Administration to contact parents and
other appropriate personnel
Parents discuss cuts with your child and
contact hospital
Involve services of YRP where necessary
•
Alert guidance
or
administration
Encourage
peer to contact
310 COPE
Talk to the student in private and enquire
if everything is alright
Inform parents of your observations
Involve services of Guidance/ School
Psychologist where necessary
•
Encourage
peer to contact
an adult
Talk to the student in private and enquire
if everything is alright
Refer to administration, conference with
guidance
Inform parents of your observations
Involve services of Attendance
Counsellor
•
Encourage
peer to attend
school
Encourage
peer to talk to
an adult
Talk to the student in private and enquire
if everything is alright
Inform parents of your observations
Inform admin. guidance of your
observations
Talk to the student
in private and
enquire if
everything is
alright
•
•
Decline in Academic
Performance
•
•
•
•
•
•
Decreased Energy
and/or Neglect of
Personal Appearance
and Hygiene
•
•
•
Talk to the student in private and enquire
if everything is alright
Inform parents of your observations
Do not criticize his/her obsessive
behaviours. See them as symptoms, not
faults.
Recognize and reward small
improvements; e.g., finishing a task on
time without continual erasing to make it
perfect.
Modify expectations during a stressful
time. Stress, particularly in the area of
change, can increase symptoms of
anxiety. Try to provide a schedules and
advance warning and preparation for
changes in routines.
Do not compare the child with other
children in the classroom. The behaviours
are part of an illness.
Talk to the student in private and enquire
if everything is alright
Inform parents of your observations
Provide opportunities for small meals
•
Talk to the
student in
private and
enquire if
everything is
alright
Talk to the student in
private and enquire if
everything is alright
More Appropriate response:
• Provide reassurance to both child and parent.
• Create a “coping” book whereby the child has a guide to help take various steps for dealing
with his/her anxiety. For example:
• Gradual desensitization — through small group activity, for example.
• Do not force the student into situations that are humiliating; for example, forced speaking in
front of the class; instead, provide an option such as a group presentation or a presentation to a
small group. Allow use of multi-media presentations to reduce amount of speaking.
• Reassure the student that he/she is not alone in feeling embarrassed.
• Permit leaving the classroom if a panic attack occurs but set a time for return; attacks usually
last five to ten minutes.
• Encourage “coping” behaviour and discourage avoidance.
• Model calm behaviour.
Keep up normal routines in the classroom. Routine and structure can help a child reduce the
rituals and encourage exposure to what may otherwise have been avoided.
• Provide brief, clear, explicit instructions, well-structured assignments.
• Use humour, not ridicule, to help the child distance himself/herself from irrational fears.
• Do not criticize his/her obsessive behaviours. See them as symptoms, not faults.
• Recognize and reward small improvements; e.g., finishing a task on time without continual
erasing to make it perfect.
• Modify expectations during a stressful time. Stress, particularly in the area of change, can
increase symptoms of anxiety. Try to provide schedules and advance warning and preparation for
changes in routines.
• Do not compare the child with other children in the classroom. The behaviours are part of an
illness.
• Provide a warm and supportive learning environment where mistakes are viewed as a natural
part of the learning process.
• Express optimism that the child will again be able to perform up to his/her own ability.
• Make a special contact with the student each day — maybe a specific greeting at the door
followed by a question about something that has been of interest to him/her.
• Encourage a healthy lifestyle, especially lots of physical exercise, which creates moodenhancing hormones in the body.
• Get help immediately if you are aware that the student is expressing suicidal thoughts.
• Have firm, clear rules and consistent natural consequences for unacceptable behaviours.
• Avoid consequences that are too extreme –– either too harsh or too easy.
• Provide lots of positive feedback when the student does something well.
• Observe the child’s negative behaviour as a symptom of a disorder you are both working to
solve together.
• Encourage social opportunities for the student to express feelings and work on activities he/she
does well (e.g., sports, the arts, recreation activities).
• Suggest a support group for parents of children with conduct disorder.
Seek professional help, above all. Work with a team. Continue (as much as possible) with
the student’s daily activities.
Curriculum Links
*These expectations do not explicitly mention mental health, but mental health can be a primary
focus to complete the expectation (i.e. students make a media text or presentation on different
mental health issues like Public Health does)
Arts 9-10
C3.1 identify and apply healthy, safe, and conscientious work practices
when performing tasks related to media arts production (e.g., use healthy
practices such as stretching before movement activities; use safe
practices when setting up lighting kits, using a tripod, or packing up
equipment; use conscientious practices such as updating computer antivirus programs)
C3.1 identify and describe key physical and health considerations
associated with practising, performing, and listening to music (e.g., the
correct body posture for playing their musical instrument; the function
of the major muscles and the skeleton in performance situations; the
importance of keeping their instrument clean and well maintained; the
risks from exposure to loud sounds and the precautions necessary to
protect hearing when
performing or listening to loud music)
C1.1 demonstrate an understanding of the importance of a positive body
image and a healthy
lifestyle to their learning in dance (e.g., identify a skill or a quality they
possess that contributes to their learning and achievement in dance
C3.3 identify and follow safe and ethical practices in dance activities
(e.g., establish a code of conduct and a list of health and safety
guidelines for the dance studio; create a web diagram outlining the key
character traits necessary to maintain a safe and healthy environment
in the dance class; respect copyright laws; develop a class definition
of ethical practices in dance; acknowledge all sources and contributions
from others; build on the ideas of others without directly copying from
them)
Arts 11-12
C1.1 identify and describe practices that can enhance a positive body
image and healthy
lifestyle and contribute to successful achievement in dance (e.g., making
informed nutritional choices; avoiding substance abuse; recognizing
negative patterns of behaviour; identifying and building on their
strengths)
C1.1 demonstrate an understanding of the importance of personal
wellness and professional
conduct for success in endeavours of all types, including career roles, both
in the dance arts
and in other areas of endeavour (e.g., how proper diet contributes to
energy and stamina; how rest and relaxation alleviate stress on the job;
how a correct warm-up supports longevity in a dance career) Teacher
prompt: “Which foods/substances and
CWS
CGC 1D: Grade 9 Geography 2013 - Strand: Changing Populations
(D)
Analyze the impact of selected populations trends on people living in
Canadian communities (e.g. the incidence of mental illness and increasing
demands for health care and institutional support), and their implications
for the future
CLN 4U: Grade 12 Law - Strand: Heritage
Analyze how society uses law to express its values
CLN 4U: Grade 12 Law - Strand: Rights and Freedoms
Evaluate the protections provided by federal and provincial human rights
legislation (e.g. Canadian Human Rights Act, Ontario Human Rights
Code)
CLN 4U: Grade 12 Law - Strand: Criminal Law and Procedures
Explain the legal definition of a crime and the concepts of mens rea, acts
reus, and strict and absolute liability
Outline legally acceptable defences to criminal conduct, and evaluate
some of the more controversial defences (e.g. "battered spouse syndrome"
defence; defence of diminished responsibility as a result of drunkenness)
English 9-10
3.4 produce media texts for several different purposes and audiences,
using appropriate
forms, conventions, and techniques (e.g., a TV public service
announcement to inform teens
about a social issue or health topic; a brochure to inform peers about
important
2.2 identify conventions and/or techniques used in a variety of media
forms and explain how
they convey meaning and influence their audience (e.g., the use of visual
irony in political
cartoons;5 the use of symbols as well as words to convey health and
safety warnings on a range of product packages)
3.1 describe the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to
create, and identify
specific challenges they may face in achieving their purpose (e.g., a
collage or a cartoon strip to communicate a health message to teens;
two book covers for the same novel, one for the teen market and one for
the
2.3 identify a variety of elements of style in texts and explain how they
help communicate
meaning and enhance the effectiveness of the text (e.g., identify
descriptive language in an
editorial and explain how it helps create a mood; identify connecting
words and explain how they clarify the sequence in a set of instructions;
explain how precise technical words strengthen the message in an
article about health or safety; identify the explicit comparison being
made in a simile and explain how it adds to meaning)
English 11-12 3.1 describe the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to
create (e.g., a television news story to raise community awareness about
a local health or safety issue; a logo and/or slogan for a line of T-shirts
to support and raise funds for a joint school-community project), and
identify significant challenges they may face in
achieving their purpose
3.6 use a variety of presentation features, including print and script, fonts,
graphics, and layout, to improve the clarity and coherence of their written
work and to heighten its appeal and effectiveness for their audience (e.g.,
format and publish the script for a scene in a short film on a fictional
subject of their choice; select appealing and appropriate fonts, graphics,
and layout for a brochure informing teenagers about an important
health or social issue)
Health 9-10
– demonstrate and use both decision-making and assertion skills with
respect to media influences and peer pressure related to alcohol, tobacco,
and other drugs.
– identify coping skills (e.g., involvement in physical activity, talking it
out, participating in alternative activities or hobbies) to deal with the
internal conflict and stress that often accompanies change.
– demonstrate the appropriate steps of conflict resolution in situations
encountered in class, at school, with friends, and at home;
– demonstrate understanding of the triggers of conflict (e.g., defensive
behaviour in a group situation) to prevent escalation;
Health 11-12
demonstrate positive, responsible personal and social behaviour in
physical activity settings (e.g., encouraging and helping others, striving
for personal bests, showing respect for others, demonstrating good
sportsmanship);
– describe the characteristics of an emotionally healthy person (e.g.,
positive self-concept, ability to manage stress effectively, ability to work
productively);
– demonstrate the skills that enhance personal mental health (e.g., coping
strategies for stress management);
– analyse the factors (e.g., environmental, genetic) that influence the
mental health of individuals and lead to the prevalence of mental health
problems in the community;
– describe the impact of mental health disorders (e.g., phobias, anxiety
disorder, schizophrenia, affective disorders) on a person’s emotional and
physical health;
– identify and describe suicidal behaviours and strategies for suicide
prevention.
Math 11-12
1.3 collect categorical data from primary sources, through
experimentation involving observation(e.g., by tracking food orders in
restaurants offering healthy food options) or measurement, or from
secondary sources (e.g., Internet databases, newspapers, magazines), and
organize and store the data using a variety of tools (e.g., spreadsheets,
dynamic statistical software)
Science 9-10
A1.7 select, organize, and record relevant information on research topics
from various sources, including electronic, print, and/or human sources
(e.g., websites for public health organizations, federal and provincial
government publications, reference books, personal interviews), using
recommended formats and an accepted form of academic documentation
B1.2 assess the importance to human health and/or society of medical
imaging technologies (e.g., ultrasound, X‑rays, computerized axial
tomography
[CT or CAT] scan, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], microscopy,
biophotonics) used in Canada in diagnosing or treating abnormalities in
tissues, organs, and/or systems [AI, C]
B1.3 describe public health strategies related to systems biology (e.g.,
cancer screening and prevention programs; vaccines against the human
papillomavirus [HPV] and measles, mumps, and rubella [MMR]; AIDS
education), and assess their impact on society [AI, C]
Science 11-12 E1.2 analyse the impact of various lifestyle choices on human health and
body systems (e.g., theimpact of excessive alcohol consumption on the
liver; of smoking on the respiratory system; of loud noise on the auditory
system)
E1.1 assess, on the basis of findings from a case study, the effects on the
human body of taking chemical substances to enhance performance or
improve health (e.g., the risks and benefits of taking large quantities of
vitamins or amino acids; the effects on the human body of substances that
people use to cope with stress)
[PR, AI, C]
A2.1 identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of
science under study
(e.g., pharmacist, forensic scientist, chemical engineer, food scientist,
environmental chemist,
occupational health and safety officer, water quality analyst, atmospheric
scientist) and the
education and training necessary for these careers
Ministry Policy on Mental Health Awareness
Safe Schools Act
Resources for Staff, Students and Parents
Supporting Minds: An Educator’s Guide to promoting Student’s Mental Health
Leading Mentally Healthy Schools: A Resource for School Administrators
.