PEORIA MAGAZINE January 2023

Themost devastating statistics relate to suicide rates. Coconate refers to America’s Health Rankings website, which notes that in 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death among people ages 10-24 and 25-34. Meanwhile, youth suicidal ideation, attempts and completion have been increasing since the turn of the century. Results from a 2019 youth behavioral risk factor survey show that 18.8% of high school students seriously considered suicide and 8.9% attempted it. THE COVID EFFECT Earlier this year, Illinois increased its emphasis on social emotional classroom learning by allocating $7 billion in federal relief money to school districts, in an attempt to offset the academic and mental health fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators and administrators in Peoria and nearby school districts meet regularly tomake local determinations for how best to spend the money on behalf of students and staff returning to the classroom, some for the first time in two years. “We look at data and create action plans based on the needs of each school,” said Coconate. Included is staff care, which “acknowledges the impact of secondary traumatic stress on the staff. “Is everybody supporting one another? If we don’t have healthy adults, it’s hard to have healthy children.” Dunlap schools currently employ five elementary counselors, twoat themiddle school and five at the high school. There also is amental health counselor for staff. Between illnesses, the challenges of remote learning and the changes in day-to-day life, “we’ve seen a rise in anxiety and depression,” said Hart. Many students also fell behind academically. “Now they’re jumping in at a level they’re not prepared for, and they’re overwhelmed,” Hart said. Meanwhile, many educators voice

concerns regarding the negative effects of social media, which started well before COVID and where bullying and ridicule can be commonplace, targeting vulnerable adolescentswhomay lack the perspective andmaturity to deal with it. IN PEORIA, EMBEDDING SEL ‘EVERYTHING WE DO’ SEL curriculum is established in all Peoria Public Schools buildings, with a staff of 15 social workers, 35 counselors, 11 psychologists, 13 SEL aides, seven ther apists, sixSEL facilitators and22 certified occupational therapy assistants. Derrick Booth, EdD, director of social emotional learning for Peoria Public Schools, stresses the importance of one-on-one relationships with students. “Putting a student with a check-in, check-out adult in the building can help the student set goals for atten dance, behaviors and academics,” he said. The daily attention can help a student stay focused on “one thing I can improve today.” Booth does not see SEL as “one more thing for teachers” but as a best practice “that many teachers are already doing. “We look at, how can we embed SEL in everything we do?” Booth said. “The essence of SEL is building relationships. That’s the core throughout, whether it’s in classroom instruction, speaking with students in the cafeteria or walking through the hallways.” To students, Booth stresses the foundational skills necessary to be successful in life, which are a big part of the SEL curriculum: conflict resolution, problem-solving, positive relationship building and respect for one another. FAMILIES NEED TO BE INVOLVED, TOO Building relationships with students requires doing so with their families, as well. To that end, in 2018 the district opened TheWraparound Center inside Trewyn Middle School, a one-stop support source for all members of the community, with an emphasis on the

61605 ZIP code. The latter is among the most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Illinois, and the 42nd poorest in the nation, said Booth. “The first year the center opened, we hired more counselors, social workers and expanded relationships with other agencies,” said Booth. The Center’s food pantry is its “anchor institution.”

Derrick Booth, EdD, director of social and emotional learning in Peoria Public Schools

“Once they get to know us at the weekly food bank, they ask for help with getting beds, they mention their son needs counseling, or ask if we can help them get a job,” he said. “If you need anything and don’t know where to go, we’ll connect you with meeting that need.” One of the Wraparound Center’s partners is OSF HealthCare, which administers the Strive Trauma Recovery Program. OSF Strive offers treatment for victims and witnesses of violence, as well as for those living in the same household. The Wraparound Center also offers justice advocates and an attorney for PPS students charged with a crime. Currently, 153 students are in that program, which also helps to keep participating students enrolled in school, follow court orders, get a job or engage in another activity, and stay on track to graduate.

Linda Smith Brown is a 37-year veteran of the newspaper industry, retiring as publisher of Times Newspapers in the Peoria area

JANUARY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 25