School officials urge parents to recheck their children's mental health
Administrators encourage conversations with kids, especially those doing online learning
Share
Updated: 6:27 PM EST Dec 22, 2020
Administrators encourage conversations with kids, especially those doing online learning
Share
Updated: 6:27 PM EST Dec 22, 2020
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript
TONIGHT. >> THE THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS STILL REELING. JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING, HIS FAMILY SAYS 15-YEAR-OLD JENO WALKED UP TO THE BRIDGE AND JUMPED OFF OF IT. WE ARE SPEAKING WITH ADMINISTRATORS AT THE SCHOOL WHO SAY COVID-19 HAS BEEN TOUGH ON EVERY STUDENT AND THEY ARE ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO BE ALLIES TO CHECK IN ON THEIR STUDENTS. JENO DID NOT GET TO SEE THIS LOVE, THAT OF A COMMUNITY GATHERING TO SUPPORT HIM. THEY CANNOT BELIEVE HE IS GONE. LISA IS HIS GUARDIAN. HE HAD PARENTS AND A FAMILY AROUND BUT HE LIVED WITH HER. HE DEALT WITH CHALLENGES OTHERS NEVER SAW. A SAD REMINDER OF THAT, THIS BIG YELLOW RIBBON, SYMBOLIZING SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS THAT IS NOW ON THE ELIZABETH BRIDGE. >> THEY NEED TO BE MORE KIND, UNDERSTAND THAT WORDS DO HURT PEOPLE AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT ANYBODY IS GOING THROUGH. >>’S FAMILY SAYS HE WAS BULIED ONLINE BEFORE HE DIED. IN AN ANONYMOUS POST ONLINE. THOMAS JEFFERSON PRINCIPAL PETE MURPHY SENT A LETTER TO PARENTS SAYING THE ACCOUNT WAS TARGETING STUDENTS AND STAFF. MURPHY SAYS THE ACCOUNT WAS DEACTIVATED SHORTLY AFTER HE SENT THE LETTER. HIS STORY IS A REMINDER FOR ALL KIDS. ALL FAMILIES, REGARDLESS OF THE DISTRICT, THAT COVID IS A CHALLENGING DISRUPTION FOR KIDS. >> TYPICALLY WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS IN THE BUILDING, YOU CAN START TO TRY TO FIGURE THINGS OUT A LOT EASIER. WHEN THERE IS NO ONE IN THE BUILDING OR THERE IS ONLY A FRACTION IN THE BUILDING, IT MAKES A DIFFICULT JOB EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. >> THOMAS JEFFERSON INVESTS HEAVILY IN STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH. THEY HAVE A PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES MINDFULNESS, OPENNESS, ALL TO HELP STUDENTS AND STAFF RESPOND POSITIVELY TO STRESS. EVEN AS DISTRICTS MOVE TO ALL VIRTUAL OR HYBRID, KLEIN KIMBALL WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM, SAYS HER WORK CONTINUES. >> JUST BECAUSE WE ARE VIRTUAL, DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM REACHING OUT FOR HELP. >> THE DIGITAL WORLD AND COVID HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF DISRUPTION TO THESE KIDS INTO THEIR LIVES. >> DR. WILL DAVIES HELPS RUN CHILL. HE SAYS IT IS HARD TO REPLICATE FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS DIGITALLY. HE URGES ALL PARENTS TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, TO NOT BE LULLED ABOUT THE FACT THEY ARE LEARNING FROM HOME. >> I WOULD SAY, TRY TO FIND TIMES TO GET THEM AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER AND HAVE A FACE-TO-FACE DISCUSSION ON HOW THEY ARE DOING. >> IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. >> THE MORE THEY ARE DISCONNECTED, THE MORE I WORRY ABOUT THE STATE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. >> THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE TRIED TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES THAT ARE STILL AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AND HAVE NOT GONE AWAY. ABOVE ALL ELSE, THE SAFE TO SAY PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT SCHOOL RELATED ISSUES. >> WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO IDENTIFY, FIND AND HELP THOSE FAMILIES, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE STUDENTS IN CRISIS, FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING, WORK OUT TO YOUR SCHOOL -- REACH OUT TO YOUR SCHOOL. >> THESE LEADERS ARE HOPEFUL IT WILL HOPE -- IT WILL SPARK CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH EVERYWHERE. A CHAT HIS GUARDIAN, LISA CARTER, ENCOURAGES. >> HELP PEOPLE. KNOW THAT A WORD YOU MIGHT SAY TO SOMEBODY CAN AFFECT THEM A LOT MORE THAN YOU REALIZE. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO SOMEBODY, HAVE IT BE NICE. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH. >> WE MENTIONED SAFE TO SAY. IT IS AN APP OR ANYONE CAN -- AN APP WHERE ANYONE CAN ANONYMOUSLY REPORT CONCERNS. THEY WILL MAKE THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. WE HAVE A LINK TO THAT ON WTAE.COM. SHANNON: YOU HAVE TO START THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF YOU ARE SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE IS STAFFED BY TRAINED COUNSELORS AROUND-THE-CLOCK. CALL 1-800-273-8255. IT IS FREE. IT IS COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL. >> IF YOU PREFER TO TEXT, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE CRISIS TEXT LINE BY TEXTING PA TO 741741. FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH CHALLENGING EMOTIONS, THE PERSEVERE PA HELPLINE IS AVAILABLE AT 18552 8