The St. Landry Parish School District has begun taking steps that address classroom stress and mental health issues that often affect campus environments, members of an Academic Committee were told Tuesday night.
Shirley Joseph, a mental health practitioner employed by the school system, said the District has now hired a full-time mental health specialist to deal with issues students and employees confront daily.
Joseph pointed out that 2018 statistics released statewide indicate St. Landry Parish ranked high is areas of violent deaths and HIV. There’s a good chance, Joseph said, that during the past four years those parish-wide numbers have continued to increase.
“Our goal is improving staff awareness that mental health is something that also affects our physical health and we are working with staff members in order to help improve attendance,” said Joseph.
Workers involved with the District-operated Head Start program underwent two days of mental health awareness training, according to Joseph.
Joseph said that during the school day it’s often difficult to detect what happens behind the scenes in the lives of the children and workers that arrive at school sites.
What the District is trying to implement within the Head Start program and eventually at main campuses throughout the school system is what Joseph described as a “culture of calm.”
“We are developing ways of talking about feelings as well as coping skills. This also goes for the bus drivers who are very important, since they are the first ones who see the students each day. (The drivers) can set the tone for the rest of the day,” Joseph added.
October Head Start Report
St. Landry Head Start Director June Inhern told the Committee that the program at the 12 parish-wide campuses for three and four-year-olds is continuing to operate at maximum capacity with 664 students.
Classes for children six weeks to three-years-old and pregnant mothers are also full (124), Inhern said.
At previous monthly presentations, Inhern noted that she and her staff members have worked hard at advertising the St. Landry Head Start program in order to increase attendance.
The Opelousas Head Start Center had 179 students in October. At Highland Elementary in Eunice, there were 122 children, said Inhern.
Average attendance at all parish Head Start centers has exceeded the goal of 85 percent, Inhern noted.
Continuing the Program
Inhern said the St. Landry Head Start program funded by $9.5 million in revenues, has been operated by the District since 2018, has reapplied for a five-year grant application.
A Quality Improvement Plan was also submitted to federal Head Start officials Oct. 30 and is being reviewed for approval, said Inhern.
Inhern said the parish Head Start program is also developing an “Eat on the Beat,” initiative which was introduced by Superintendent Patrick Jenkins.
The Eat on the Beat encourages firemen and police officers to occasionally visit the parish Head Start centers and eat with the children enrolled in the programs.
St. Landry School District Developing Mental Health Awareness Program
