Recommendations for Social-Emotional Supports

We have organized our recommendations based on Part IV (Common Expectations of Hybrid and Remote Learning Models) of the recently released reopening framework outlined by the Maine Department of Education. Our recommendations are based on actual work done by districts in Maine from March through June 2020 in response to the mandate to close schools in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. Where possible we have included links to representative examples of innovative practices using the documentation that we collected.

MDOE Component 6: A plan for identifying and addressing social/emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied with an enormous amount of stress and anxiety as we have had to adjust to our “new normal.” As schools move forward with remote/hybrid learning in the 2020-21 school year, it will be important to continue to foreground mental health and strategies for coping with the uncertainty of living through a pandemic. It is especially important that opportunities to listen to students’ feelings about the changes that are taking place are built into synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities. Important components of trauma-informed schooling include establishing safety for students in teacher-student relationships and online spaces. Another important component includes empowerment and choice. Fortunately, these facets of trauma-informed education are also important components of successful remote learning. Many districts made the social-emotional wellness of students a central focus to their work in the spring of 2020. Our recommendations based on district innovation include: 

Provide families with information and strategies for coping with anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

  • Many districts provided links to resources from SAMHSA and NAMI.
  • Indian Island School provided suggestions for talking with students about COVID.
  • RSU 21 posted a link to a comprehensive list of social-emotional and mindfulness resources from Tufts University.
  • The Bangor School Department and other districts in the Penobscot Region posted a series of short parent support videos created by a clinical psychologist.
  • West Bath School created a comprehensive resource page for caregivers.
  • The school counselors and social workers in RSU 52 started a mental health newsletter for students and caregivers.

Create opportunities for routine open check-ins with school counselors. Many school counselors created Google classrooms and provided resources for social-emotional learning and mindfulness activities. Additionally, many school counselors scheduled meetings with students or held open virtual office hours via Zoom or Google Hangout Meet to facilitate initial identification of and response to concerns.

Use a web-based social and emotional learning curriculum. Districts that use Second Step were able to give caregivers access to activities that could be monitored by teachers and school counselors.

Create school or district wide projects to promote mental health and wellness for students, faculty, and caregivers. Some districts conducted virtual Spirit Weeks and other activities designed to maintain connections between students and staff. Somes districts effectively leveraged social media to do this, having families use cell phones to snap pictures of students participating and then sharing them on their Facebook or homepages. A a few examples include: 

  • K-5: The youngest students in Veazie had a virtual “Fort Night” with classmates and teachers. Other schools did nightly storytimes or Moving Stories with a rotating cast of teachers and staff (such as Milbridge Elementary School in MSAD 37), or issued integrated arts-based expressive challenges, like sidewalk chalk competitions. It is important to note that in the case of these arts challenges, schools like Milbridge Elementary provided interested students with home-delivered kits to complete these challenges through partnerships with local non-profit organizations. Some schools (such as the Saccarappa School and the Vassalboro Community School) also encouraged students to participate during “Spirit Week” by dressing up according to the theme of the day and submitting photos of themselves to be posted on the school’s social media. 
  • 6-12: Some schools engaged students in virtual talent shows through their social media accounts or closed Facebook groups. Others had students submit pictures of important elements of their home experience, such as pictures of their pets. Some school districts (such as the Gorham School Department) encouraged K-12 students to wear school gear, present artwork, and display other forms of school spirit while nominating teachers for a chance to win prizes during teacher appreciation week.

Leverage relationships with community-based mental health providers and staff to provide supportive programming for teachers, caregivers, and students. As containment of the virus continues to be a national priority, it is likely that caregivers, students and teachers will experience many emotions over the coming months. Consider reaching out to area or statewide agencies or private-practice providers to offer workshops to families and staff on managing these emotions. In the spring of 2020, the parent-teacher group in St. George Public Schools offered a Zoom workshop for caregivers around managing stress and anxiety. Veazie School Department schools partnered with Acadia Hospital to offer a workshop around supporting your child’s mental health. Sanford School Department published a comprehensive list of local resources.