What is Mental Wellness

Mental wellness is about taking care of our emotional health and feeling balanced, connected, and able to meet life’s challenges.

There are many factors that influence our mental wellness, including:

• Genes
• Emotional make-up
• Relationships
• Physical health

Helping to identify and support our students’ mental wellness is the shared responsibility of all adults on campus.

An Introduction to Violence Prevention

Example - Educator Professional Development

Violence can cause feelings of anger, helplessness, hopelessness, and in some cases, lead to thoughts of suicide.

Talking with students about the roots and dynamics of violence may help reduce their vulnerability of becoming survivors or perpetrators of violence and increase the likelihood that a student who has experienced or is experiencing violence will reach out for help.

Safe and Unsafe Touch

Example - Gr. K

The Safe and Unsafe Touches Video talks about students' right to feel safe in their bodies, how to recognize the difference between safe and unsafe touch, and steps they can take to be safe.

Students learn to identify safe touches as touches that make them feel safe and cared for; and unsafe touches as touches that involve private parts; touches that make them feel scared or weird; or touches that hurt.

Students learn that when they are feeling unsafe they can: - say “NO!”
- leave
- tell a safe adult.

End Violence

Example - Gr. 7

The End Violence Video introduces students to the topic of violence. Violence is the use of force or power to threaten, harm and control others.  

Violence can happen between family members, romantic partners, classmates, or strangers. Students learn about different types of violence, roots and dynamics of violence, and strategies to reduce their vulnerability to experiencing violence or acting violently.  

Students learn the importance of developing healthy relationships through respect and personal boundaries, and the ability to manage conflicts. Students also discuss the importance of developing empathy for others by challenging harmful messages and addressing the roots of violence. 

Preventing Violence

Example - Gr. 12

The Preventing Violence Video introduces students to the topic of violence. Violence is the use of force or power to threaten, harm and control others.  

Violence can happen between family members, romantic partners, classmates, or strangers. Students learn about different types of violence, roots and dynamics of violence, and strategies to reduce their vulnerability to experiencing violence or acting violently.

Students learn the importance of developing healthy relationships through respect and personal boundaries, and how to manage conflicts. Students also discuss the importance of developing empathy for others by challenging harmful messages and addressing the roots of violence.  

Preventing School Violence: Building a Safer Future

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While school violence is not always preventable, taking pro-active steps to minimize risk factors and build resilience and connectedness may save lives.

While it may seem like a reasonable response to increase security with officers, locks, cameras, metal detectors, etc., research indicates that these do not improve feelings of safety in students nor does it decreases infractions.

Building social, emotional, and mental wellness skills and actively engaging students in building a safe, supportive, and productive environment is the key to unlocking a safer future for schools.