GALESBURG — From helping teachers focus on self-care during the pandemic to finding ways to remove barriers for struggling students in a remote-learning environment, Mindi Ritchie is fostering good mental health during a most difficult year.
Ritchie, principal of Galesburg High School North — an alternative school for students who have had trouble succeeding in a traditional school environment — recently was recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education for her work in providing social and emotional learning support to students — on wheels.
A district-wide outreach program initiated by Ritchie, SEL on Wheels sends teachers and support staff out in a mini-van after school hours, delivering food, academic materials, social and emotional support, and Wi-Fi hot spots to students and families throughout the community.