September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15- to 19-year-olds. Northwestern School of Medicine has a resource page on teen suicide that will help you educate yourself and talk with your teen about the issue. In addition, a new law in Illinois will require school districts that issue identification cards … Continue reading Teen Suicide—What Families and PTAs Need to Know
Facing Fears, Supporting Students—New Mental Health Toolkit
Today’s guest post comes from Mental Health America, who have just released a new Back-to-School Toolkit to give families, teachers, and school personnel the tools and resources they need to support children’s mental health. This school year brings increased fear and trauma for many students after more than a year away from in-person learning. The toolkit, Facing Fears, Supporting … Continue reading Facing Fears, Supporting Students—New Mental Health Toolkit
Right to Play and Your PTA
In our wrap-up of this spring’s legislative session, Illinois PTA noted the passage of SB654, the Right to Play Every Day bill that guaranteed every kindergarten through fifth grade student 30 minutes of “supervised, unstructured, child-directed play” every school day. Governor Pritzker has now signed the bill into law, and its requirements take effect immediately. If … Continue reading Right to Play and Your PTA
COVID-19 School Guidance FAQs
Illinois has adopted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance regarding COVID-19 and schools for the coming school year. The guidance is aimed at helping school administrators provide in-person learning in a safe manner for students and staff. To support that guidance, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has provided a Frequently Asked … Continue reading COVID-19 School Guidance FAQs
