This article is the 2nd in a series of pieces on the very important wellness framework being developed at La Jolla Country Day School (CA). The first article was entitled, “Embracing Uncertainty & Preparing Our Students: A Case Study,” by Colleen O’Boyle, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs.

In December, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a rare advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health due to alarming increases in specific mental health challenges amongst children and adolescents. Those of us that have been in the mental health field for some time have seen this surge coming. We have been tracking a steady and concerning increase in childhood mental illness since 2007 and even earlier. What no one could anticipate was COVID-19. The collective trauma we have all experienced has led to irrevocable consequences that are impacting our youth in a multitude of ways. Schools across the country are confronting a wave of student misbehavior since we have returned from the remote learning models of last year. The pandemic has exacerbated multi-year challenges and a lack of mental health resources rapidly and alarmingly. 

Despite the many challenges we face, we have some good news. Research…