This document summarizes the policies and practices implemented by Lake Forest Public Schools to support student well-being and address rising rates of anxiety and mental health issues. It outlines the negative outcomes associated with these issues, such as disengagement, truancy, and hospitalization. The presentation then shares successful practices adopted by courageous leaders to make schools more humane and healthy, including being open about issues, adopting social-emotional learning goals, enhanced wellness supports for students, and annual surveys to identify at-risk groups. It recommends reducing performance pressure and prioritizing student connection and choice to promote well-being over strict academics. Contact information is provided for the presenters and free additional resources.

1. Lake Forest Public Schools
Hazard, Young, Attea, and Associates
November 17, 2018
From Distress to Success:
Policies and Practices to
Support Student Well-Being

2. “Experts agree that anxiety is reaching
near-epidemic levels among young
people, with as many as one in eight
children — and 25 percent of teens —
contending with diagnosable anxiety
disorders.”<https://t.co/irGmPMjDOC>

4. “Outcomes” of anxiety, depression, mental health
struggles. …
● Disengageme
nt
● Truancy
● “School
Refusal”
● Substance
abuse
● Cutting
● Hospitalizatio
n
● Credible
Threats
Alabama 2020 Strategic Plan Goal to Reduce Truancy

6. ● However, there is hope. This presentation will share some successful
practices driven by courageous, innovative, compassionate, and impassioned
leaders, teachers, parents, and students. These practices have made the
schools more humane, healthy, and engaging. Strong academics have been
sustained and definitions of success have expanded.
FROM
…
TO

8. 2012 - Suicide
Cluster
We lost three
students in four
months
I. Lake Forest Learnings

9. High-level Summary
● Dramatic changes:
○ Stopped sugar-coating issues - vulnerable
populations, social-hosting, social/emotional
wellness as an issue for all students
○ Students’ willingness to “see something and say
something” as well as discuss their own issues
○ Parents’ recognition (though not universal) of
need to discuss social/emotional well-being of
their children
● Adopted governance-level language and
goals around social/emotional growth

10. Governance Response
● Formulation of Mission/Vision/Goals for D67 &
D115 specifically address expectations
○ “Milestone #1 - Achievement: District 115 is
nationally recognized for achieving significant
academic, social, and emotional growth for
every student”
● District-wide Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
include academic, social, and emotional
measures

11. External Responses
● Dr. Mark Reineke from Northwestern addressed
community concerns
● High School Community Wellness Task Force
● “Text-a-tip” adopted and developed out of this
program
● Film/author Series
○ Community-wide viewing and
conversation of Race to Nowhere
○ Carol Dweck, author of Mindset
○ Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of
How to Raise an Adult

12. Internal Staff Responses
● Social workers have a face-to-face session with
all freshmen to introduce them to services
● Social workers and school psychologists are
expected to work with all students
● Gatekeeper training for all staff
● Educational Services conduct a “mental health in
the classroom” series
● Every other year ADHS and Erin’s Law seminars

13. Internal School Response for Students
● Health and Wellness for Life mandatory for all
freshmen
● Developed our own Erika’s Lighthouse program
● Developed Peer Training for freshmen in
conjunction with local youth agency
● Aligned sophomore health classes with SEL
standards
● Infused mindfulness experiences throughout school
● Aligned k-8 curriculum to Social Emotional Learning
Standards - infused throughout school day in every
subject area

14. Data Collection
● Adopted annual survey
instrument for
social/emotional wellness, the
Comprehensive School
Climate Inventory (CSCI) in
lieu of 5 Essentials
○ Identified most vulnerable
populations
● Administer Illinois Youth
Survey to all students every
other year

15. ● What we
should stop
or do less of
● What we
should start
or do more of
II. More from Max’s

16. Stop/Less Of:
● Contributing to the Performance Arms Race
○ Punitive grading practices
○ Weighting AP and Honors
○ Freshmen APs and 4+ APs
○ Excessive homework/test prep
● Becoming Prisoners of Time
○ Early starts
○ Zero Periods
○ Traditional Scheduling
○ Limited Passing Periods

17. Start/More Of:
● Be students of our students (shadow)
● Enhance connectedness and belonging
● Access to wellness supports
● Incentivize attendance (finals??)
● EDUCATE parents and students
○ College admissions
○ Destigmatize help-seeking
○ Means restriction
● Provide for AUTHENTIC student choice
and voice (survey every student and every
class)

18. Shadowing: Students of our
Students● Shadowing •Surveying
• My teacher knows if
something is bothering me
• My teacher really tries to
understand how students feel
about things
• My teacher makes me feel
he/she really cares about me
• My teacher gives me
meaningful and timely
feedback on my work
While 96% of teachers agreed/strongly
agreed that there is a caring adult at
school, just 78% of students (HS only)
and 61% of parents concurred.
http://shadowastudent.org/how-it-works

19. FREE Resources
● Growth Mindset: https://www.perts.net/resources
● Measures of Effective Teaching:
http://k12education.gatesfoundation.org/resource/asking-stud
ents-about-teaching-student-perception-surveys-and-their-impl
ementation/
● Shadow a student protocol:
http://shadowastudent.org/how-it-works
● Suicide Prevention Resource Center: http://www.sprc.org
● American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
https://afsp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/recommendati
ons.pdf
● PAUSD Toolkit for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide
Prevention http://www.heardalliance.org/help-toolkit/
● California Department of Education
(AB2246 and Model Suicide Prevention Policy)
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/cg/mh/suicideprevres.asp

20. Contact us at:
Mike Simeck
msimeck@lfschools.org
847.604.7401
@msimeck
Max McGee
maxmcgee@hyasearch.com
224.234.6129
www.glennmaxmcgee.com
@glennmaxmcgee