Helping kids manage their emotions and mental health is a daily practice at a central Kentucky school. Teachers and students at Kirksville Elementary in Madison County have morning meetups each day to discuss their feelings or whatever else may be on their minds.
Angie Wilcox is a guidance counselor at the Richmond school. In an interview with WEKU’s Eastern Standard, Wilcox said the meetups give students a sense of community.
“The kids come in, they bring their breakfast, and we just share highs and lows and allow the kids the time to kind of release what they have carried over from home, or from the school bus, or from the breakfast line. To share and kind of get those emotions out,” said Wilcox.
Wilcox added that teachers have had training on active listening to recognize when students just need to talk and when intervention from a counselor is needed.
“And then at that point I can determine, you know, did they just need to talk a little longer, you know, that thought that they had morning meetup is still with them, and it's lunchtime? And do I need to intervene? Or do I need to call parents or outside agencies to intervene?” said Wilcox.
The morning meetups have been going on for three years now. Wilcox said teachers have become more comfortable with this kind of intervention work.
Wilcox said teachers also participate in staff meet-ups so that they can discuss their own highs and lows to manage their mental health as well.
