The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) has named Thompson School District as one of four districts to become part of a virtual mental wellness collaborative.
According to material released by the AASA, the organization launched the effort to provide an opportunity for school districts to “share best practices in mental wellness, positive youth developments, avoiding/preventing risky behaviors and practices, and raising awareness of nicotine-derived products for school staff and students.” The goal of the collaborative is to provide an opportunity for educators to garner strategies to “support, bolster and develop mental wellness for our students and the adults that serve them.”
“We are grateful to partner with AASA in support of increasing the mental wellness of our students and staff,” said Dr. Melissa Schneider, Thompson School District Chief Academic Officer. “Our team recognizes that excellent teaching and learning comes from a base of mental, emotional, and physical wellness. This opportunity will help maximize our goals in Focus Area 2 of our Strive 2025 Strategic Plan: Supportive and Inclusive Environment. We look forward to learning from AASA and the other districts involved in this work, as well as our own focus groups, to better support the mental wellness of our staff and students.”
Thompson School District staff submitted an application to join the program. Through the Virtual Mental Wellness Collaborative, AASA will engage the four districts through focus groups, technical assistance, and coaching while networking with them to share best practices. A team from the organization will also visit each school district this year to conduct a youth focus group. As part of the collaborative, each district will receive a stipend of $5,000 to help support their work.
For more information, please contact Michael Hausmann, Thompson School District Chief Communications Officer, at (970) 613-5011 or e-mail at michael.hausmann@tsd.org.