Mental Health & Wellness: TCS

CURRENT TCS EVENTS

CLICK to read more and watch a VIDEO about THE TRUTH: How vaping nicotine affects the brain and mental health.

Why mental health in school?

  • Mentally healthy students are more likely to go to school ready to learn, actively engage in school activities, have supportive and caring connections with adults and young people, use appropriate problem-solving skills, have non aggressive behaviors, and add to positive school culture.

  • Studies have shown the value of developing comprehensive school mental health programs in helping students achieve academically and have access to experiences that build social skills, leadership, self-awareness, and caring connections to adults in their school and community. (1)

  • Schools that also choose to collaborate with community partners like TCS has, have found that they can enhance the academic success of individual students.(2) These partnerships have found to significantly improve schoolwide truancy (3) and discipline rates, increase the rates of high school graduation, and help create a positive school environment in which a student can learn and be successful in school and in the community.(4)

  1. Durlak, et al, 2011.

  2. CASEL, 2011.

  3. Yeide, Kobrin, 2009.

  4. National Council for Community Behavioral Health, 2011.

How to talk about it

5 Myths About School Mental Health

M&F

The Tiger's Mind: Mental Wellness Newsletter

Tallassee City School District created this monthly newsletter to feature various topics and resources to help maintain social emotional competencies and overall mental wellness for our students, families, teachers, and staff.

Look for the next edition available by the 15th of each month!

Mental Health, and Mental Illness, and Mental Wellness. Oh, my!

Mental health, mental Illness, and mental wellness.

These terms all sound similar and vaguely familiar, but upon closer inspection, do we really know what these terms mean?

mental health to illness tems

With those definitions out of the way, the second thought that comes to mind is the relationships between these three entities. It’s often that we think of mental health and mental illnesses to be positively correlated, for them to be directly related to the other. 

But that’s not true; while these three entities occasionally influence one or the other, they should be viewed as separate. Having poor mental health does not equate to having a mental illness, just as good mental health does not equate to not having a mental illness. 

It's easier understood like this:

Meet Bruce. Bruce is stressed and overwhelmed because the huge work project he’s been working on isn’t going the way it’s supposed to. He is tempted to give it all up and finds no hope in doing anything at all to fix things. When his friends approach him, Bruce refuses help and actively avoids all social interaction. At this point in time, Bruce’s mental health is poor, but he does not have a mental illness.

Now, meet Luna. Luna was diagnosed with an eating disorder, a mental illness. With recovery in mind, Luna does her best to cope with the changes she has to make and she doesn’t ignore the need to get better. At this point in time, Luna’s mental health is good. Mental health is a state of well-being that affects how we react to the experiences us – some days could be better than others, and that is perfectly normal.

“Health isn’t like an on/off switch. There are different degrees of health. [...] Many people fall somewhere in the middle—they’re generally in good health, though the occasional problem may come up. Mental health is the same way.” (CMHA)

That being said, the distinction between mental health as a state and mental illness as a condition is now apparent. As one would treat a migraine with care, a dip in the state of our mental health should also warrant the same concern.

(TheMindfulCompany.com)

Virtual Mental Wellness Rooms

The Virtual Wellness Room is a place for students, families, faculty, and staff to find strategies for managing emotions and feelings in positive ways while building resilience.

Sometimes, life gets challenging and overwhelming. We can feel stressed with life’s events, both big and small.

The Virtual Wellness room provides resources and tools to help you find new ways to manage life, explore new problem solving opportunities and develop coping skills. Enjoy and take some time for yourself.

Disclaimer: The following links are purely for educational purposes and are not intended as a substitute for mental health or psychological treatment. If you are in need of psychological help you should seek the consultation of a licensed mental health professional. Please contact your school counselor for further assistance.

Tallassee Elementary School

Southside Middle School

Tallassee High School

Faculty & Staff

Learn More

8 DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS

SELF-CARE

DEPRESSION
ANXIETY
SUBSTANCE USE
SUICIDE
SELF HARM (NSSI)
EATING DISORDER
BIPOLAR DISORDER
PSYCHOSIS

For Educators

Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson | TED

How to Talk to a Student

Addressing Concerns and Motivating Change

  • Wondering what to say when a student shares personal mental health concerns with you?

  • Looking to help a student recognize and seek help for a health or behavioral issue?

  • Need strategies for encouraging a student to overcome ambivalence and move toward positive change?

This part of the website is all about talking with students about mental illness, sharing your concerns about their well-being, and helping them understand and cope with specific issues.

<<-- CLICK logo for link to website.

Strategies for improving teacher well-being throughout your career.

CLICK infographic to read full article -->>

FREE Classroom Resources

Stanford REACH Lab

VAPE-FREE curriculum

Part of the Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, is a 2-6 lesson evidence-based (K-12) curriculum

SMART TALK:

Cannabis Prevention & Awareness Curriculum

Part of the Stanford Cannabis Awareness & Prevention Toolkit, is a 2-5 lesson theory-based and evidence-informed K-12 curriculum

Ever-Fi

Elementary School Teachers

8 Examples of Compassion Activities for Elementary Students

Introduce your elementary school students to social-emotional learning concepts (SEL) with these eight examples of compassion activities for kids.

Middle School Teachers

Let’s Get Real with Middle School Class Culture: 7 Activities to Foster Positive Decision Making

Give your students the opportunity to practice their decision-making skills in different situations that surround digital safety, bullying prevention, and character culture with these seven activities.

High School Teachers

6 Mental Health Activities for Students to Embed Mental Wellness into Classroom Culture for High School

Here are six mental health activities for students you can implement to generate stronger mental health awareness in your high school and middle school classrooms.

PARENTS/GUARDIANS

What can you do if you are concerned with your child's mental health?

  1. Consult with your child’s doctor or pediatrician. Describe what concerns you and ask for recommendations. They may provide a referral for a Mental Health Professional. 

  2. Contact key people at your child’s school. Who should you reach out to? The School Counselor is a great resource to start if you aren’t sure.  Click here for a list of Tallassee City Schools Counselors contact list.

  3. Teachers can also provide insight such as changes or concerns in your child’s behavior. Ask: Are they noticing similar concerns?

  4. Crisis help lines are available:

If you or your child are in immediate danger, please call 911. 

LOCAL RESOURCES

raphic with an image of open hands with a heart between them, and text that reads, there is hope; the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline logo; and a list of steps to help someone in crisis. Details of the graphic are: Do you know someone in crisis? You can be a lifeline and help support them. Here are five steps you can take that are known to help: Ask: Are you thinking about suicide? How do you hurt? How can I help? Be there: In person or on the phone. Show support. Listen. Keep promises to connect. Help keep them safe: if the person in crisis is suicidal, details matter; do they have a plan, or ideas about timing or method? You can call 988 to support their crisis care. Help them connect: When someone is in crisis, connecting them with ongoing supports can help establish a safety net. Remind them they can call, text, or chat 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor 24/7. Follow up: After the immediate crisis is over, check in. That text or call afterwards makes a real difference. Graphic with an image of open hands with a heart between them, and text that reads, there is hope; the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline logo; and a list of steps to help someone in crisis. Details of the graphic are: Do you know someone in crisis? You can be a lifeline and help support them. Here are five steps you can take that are known to help: 1. Ask: Are you thinking about suicide? How do you hurt? How can I help? 2. Be there: In person or on the phone. Show support. Listen. Keep promises to connect. 3. Help keep them safe: if the person in crisis is suicidal, details matter; do they have a plan, or ideas about timing or method? You can call 988 to support their crisis care. 4. Help them connect: When someone is in crisis, connecting them with ongoing supports can help establish a safety net. Remind them they can call, text, or chat 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor 24/7. 5. Follow up: After the immediate crisis is over, check in. That text or call afterwards makes a real difference. Download and share Be a Lifeline - Vertical (9:16) (JPG | 1.7 MB)

al connect app

Help is 3 numbers away 911 for physical safety or 988 mental or substance use crisis or support or 211 local resource directory for everything else

Dial 2-1-1 for assistance

988

988 24/7 crisis and support

WINGS hotline

Dial 211 for community service support locator

Meet Your Support Team

Jen Bafford, Mental Health Services Coordinator

Mental Health Services Coordinator

Hello! My name is Jen Bafford. I hold Bachelor's Degrees in Social Work, Communications, and Psychology from the University of Missouri. I have worked In the social services and mental health field since 2008. My experience comes from working to connect families to resources through state and federal benefit eligibility programs. Since my family and I moved to Alabama in 2018, I have been directing a federal grant program to strengthening the mental health awareness across the state. I enjoy working with young people of all ages, families, and their support systems. My mother is a retired elementary school teacher of 38 years and having been brought up as a teacher's kid working with Tallassee City Schools feels like home. I look forward to serving students, their families, and faculty & staff across the TCS district by coordinating available services and resources to support mental health and wellness. I also serve the district as the McKinney Vento Families Liaison and the Family Engagement Educators Team (F.E.E.T.) Coordinator. Let's talk!

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