Teachers keeping mental health in mind ahead of new school year

Time is almost up before students are back in school hallways.

Mental health experts are asking parents and educators to be on high alert with respect to students this year.

“To be honest, it’s like a mixture of like different feelings,” Zauryn Moore, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools senior at Hopewell High School, said. “Like, I’m ready to get out of school, but I don’t want it to go by like so fast.”

Those are typical feelings for an upcoming senior — but this year comes with added pressure. Returning to the classroom comes with added heaviness related to pandemic learning loss and safety concerns.

“A lot of these kids are coming into this year, not really having completely normal school years, you know, over the last few years due to COVID,” Molly McDonnell, licensed clinician social worker at Thriveworks, said. “And so they’re also coming in with some educational disadvantages.”

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/mental-health-experts-parents-educators-students-emotional-health/275-41b5f8c3-bea4-4aac-a28e-eeb8293a51c1

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