POLAND — When news broke that schools were going to temporarily shut down statewide last month, employees with the Poland Local School District wasted no time in forming a resource for parents.

Wendy Butch, a school counselor at Poland McKinley Middle School, said that working with colleague Mary Jo Rowan, also a counselor, and school principals, “we discussed ways us counselors could provide support to families during this challenging time, without putting more on their plate.”

The result of the talks is a weekly newsletter to parents / caretakers and students.

Calling it “Counselor Corner,” Butch said “support, resources, and words of encouragement” are offered.

Putting the students in groups by grade, Butch explained that she offers support by phone, emails and Zoom video conferencing.

Rowan works with grades 6 to 8, but has established Google Classrooms for each grade, where she puts a guidance lesson for students to complete.

Butch said working with teachers in identifying families who may need additional help or support has been a key factor with the program.

“Teachers let us know if they haven’t seen activity in their Google classrooms or if they have tried to contact families and did not hear back,” she said, adding: “Counselors then reach out to those families and see what we can do to help.”

During the pandemic, which has disrupted many families routines, Butch said counselors are “definitely staying in touch with as many students and families as possible.”

As stay-at-home orders were recently extended by Gov. Mike DeWine, impacting schools until May 1, Butch said that keeping in touch with others using technology “is a key to healthy mental health.”

Stressing that physically isolating must occur, Butch said socially, the distancing doesn’t have to happen, which is why counselors are emailing and setting up virtual calls with students and families.

“We want parents, caregivers and students to know we care,” she said.

Keeping students engaged, Butch said students participate in a different way each week.

Recently, for example, students were asked to do some critical thinking and share what they are doing to be resilient while on an extended break. Also, tips for successful online learning were a focal point, Butch said, with students taking photos of themselves at their “work stations.”

While the coronavirus is unprecedented, Butch said the additional resources offered by her team have been accepted by the community.

“We have actually gotten emails from parents thanking us for the support and resources,” Butch said. Others have asked if the resources can be shared with families outside the Poland district.

Trying to stick with some kind of routine, Butch said that different programs such as Red Ribbon Week, Mix It Up at Lunch so No One Eats Alone Day, Misfit Sock Day and others are still going on, but “it just looks different.”

Engaging the students, she said posting to social media platforms has helped maintain some regularity.

Students sent photos to post to the district’s Instagram, for example.

“The purpose of this is to create a feeling of connection, learn from each other, and remind us we’re all making it through this together,” Butch said.

Tips

Advice that Wendy Butch, school counselor at Poland McKinley Middle School, is sharing through emails and newsletters:

• Take care of yourself. “Pay attention to how you are feeling and decide what you need to feel better during this time.”

• Adults should be mindful of how to act around children, especially during the pandemic when so much is unknown. “It is important that parents, teachers and all caring adults are prepared to serve as sturdy, nurturing foundations.”

• Pay attention to a child’s behavior. They may not verbalize their feelings, but a change in sleep, eating or behavior may signal there is something stressing them.

• Remain calm, because children mirror adult behavior. “Pay attention to what you say and do.”