Wisconsin State Superintendent Says Schools Need to Put More Focus on Mental Health

Friday, September 24th, 2021 -- 8:05 AM

(Raymond Neuper, WRN) Wisconsin's school districts and teachers will need to put a greater focus on mental health his year, says the head of the Department of Public Instruction.

Wisconsin's school districts and teachers will need to put a greater focus on mental health his year, says the head of the Department of Public Instruction.

State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly says school districts need to be able to work with kids who are still having trouble processing what's happened during the pandemic. 

"Kids have seen so much they've lost a lot you know in their own personal lives. I think about the mental health issues, of course, like anxiety and depression and this fear, but they also may have lost a loved one or a parent may have lost a job."

Underly says school districts need to work on educating their kids no matter what situation they might find themselves in locally.  "That's our job to meet them where they are and to support them because we know that if they're going to learn they have to feel safe and they have to be supported and so that's what we do."

Underlay says a decade's worth of fiscal neglect from the state has created a gap in funding in local districts and that might lead to cuts in the arts and other extracurricular activities. "School districts instead if they want to keep those things going have to rely on convincing their local property taxpayers to pass the referendum to do it."

Underly says that districts have to keep a close eye on students' mental health this year as many kids have dealt with the emotional fallout of the pandemic.

She also called for calm and unity when it comes to the decisions that local district are making over vaccine and mask requirements to prevent the spread of COVID.

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