Educators worry about post-pandemic mental health of students

NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA DISTRICT COUNCIL OF WOMEN
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The Niagara District Council of Women is hosting a public Zoom meeting on Nov. 15 on the "Impact of COVID-19 on Schools and Youth Mental Health - a Niagara Perspective."

School administrators continue to be concerned about the mental health and well-being of students, post-pandemic, according to the Ontario Principals' Council. This sentiment was expressed by the council's president following the release of the recent People for Education’s 2022-23 annual survey of more than 1,000 publicly funded Ontario schools. It revealed 91 per cent needed support for students’ mental health and well-being. People for Education is a provincial, non partisan advocacy group.

While the pandemic has underscored the demand for youth mental health support, the annual survey indicated access to some of those supports has dropped. The survey, covering schools across all of Ontario’s publicly funded boards, reported the number of schools with no access to a psychologist had nearly doubled over the past decade, up to 28 per cent of elementary schools and 29 per cent of secondary schools. Also, supports can vary from board to board.  

The status of student mental health is tied to a variety of factors including a student's level of physical activity, time spent on electronic devices and family household food security. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a direct impact on such factors. 

Dr. Amanda Sherman, Mental Health Lead with the District School Board of Niagara, will address the issue of the impact of COVID-19 on youth mental  health from a Niagara perspective, providing an overview of student needs within the school system, as well as highlighting the supports and services available in our local schools. 

Sherman is a registered clinical and school psychologist. She specializes in psychological assessment of children and youth, and cognitive behavioural treatment for anxiety, mood, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. 

The online presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. with a question and answer period to follow.