FLVT Division 1

Mental Health Kit

Jessica Hemstreet & Kyla Matthews

Focus of Project

Our focus is to come up with a way to introduce and improve mental

health/wellness awareness for teachers and students. Our inquiry question
is, to what extent can we bring mental health and wellness to the forefront
of teacher’s and student’s mind? We want to ensure that teachers have
more knowledge and resources to deal with the ever changing needs of
students in their classrooms. We also aim to raise students' awareness of
mental health and wellness for themselves and others. Mental health is an
important issue that is becoming more prominent in today’s society and
therefore schools. Mental health often has a stigma attached to it, which is
why we believe that mental health needs to be improved and exist in the
classrooms. Teachers need to be informed about the issues that take place
within their students’ lives. By using multiple strategies to incorporate
mental health and wellness awareness in the school, we hope to create a
foundation of acceptance and recognize the diversity that takes place in
each classroom. Our goal is for our resource kit to benefit educators who
encounter exceptionalities in their own classrooms.

Description of Project

Our final goal of this project was to create a resource kit that is tangible for
teachers to use. We wanted to create something that is easy to access for
teachers, so they will want to actually use it. In order to create a kit that will
benefit the teachers and students we aimed to create open and trusting
relationships with both students and staff. By immersing ourselves in the
school community and partaking in extracurricular events we hoped that
people would see us as helpful members of the school community. We
aimed to create and discuss mental health strategies and mindfulness
through a catholic lens.

We met with the school counsellor regarding strategies we can try and to
get advice to help raise awareness to both students and staff. We also
talked to and asked staff for assistance and suggestions in regards to what
they thought would be beneficial to them as a teacher and their classroom.
We also researched further for a variety of books, websites, etc. that will
help teachers.

We also be incorporated a wellness mini unit into our class schedules. We

looked for resources for this from the division’s faith plan, our teacher
mentors, Alberta Health Services, and Canadian Mental Health
Association. Our goal was to get students to open up and share how they
are feeling, and to have students become self-aware of their feelings and
emotions.
Lastly, we created a mini unit that was appropriate for each division within
the school. They were designed to flow from one division to the next, in a
scaffolding fashion. Division ones’ unit is surrounding the idea of creating
awareness of emotions and how to feel about ourselves. Division two
focuses more in depth on emotions. It talks about encouraging positive
emotions and how to handle negative ones. Finally, Division threes focuses
on healthy living and choices, both physical and emotional.
Resource Lists
Story Books

Trudy’s Rock Story - Trudy Spiller

“First Nation’s story to teach children that it is okay to have feelings

and shows them how to process and release negative thoughts.”

Can I Catch It like a Cold? - Gretchen Kelbaugh

“A story to help children understand a parent’s depression.”

Cory Stories - Jeanne Kraus

“A kids book about living with ADHD.”

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key - Jack Gantos

(Entire Joey Pigza Series) “captur[es] the humor, the off-the-wall

intensity, and the serious challenges that life presents to a kid dealing with
hyper-activity and related disorders.”

(Don’t) Call me Crazy - Various Authors

“33 voices start the conversation about mental health.”

Autism and Me: Sibling Stories - Ouisie Shapiro

Sibling stories about living with someone with Autism.

I Can’t Sit Still! Living with ADHD - Pam Pollack & Meg Belviso

First-person account about learning you have ADHD, that it is the

reason why you behave the way you do and receiving medicine and
strategies. “It provides a clear explanation of common symptoms and
interventions in kid-friendly terms.” Includes a parents’ guide at the end of
the book.

Don’t Feed the WorryBug - Andi Green

 “This book does a good job of illustrating how anxiety can become
overwhelming and teaches kids how they can take charge of their anxiety.”
(Ages 3-8)

Armond goes to a party: a book about Asperger’s and friendship - Nancy

Carlson & Armond Isaak

“This picture book ‘gives a simple understanding of why children with

Asperger’s struggle to attend parties and talks about the importance of
learning flexibility.”

Chrysanthemum - Kevin Henkes

“This sweet story prepares kids for how short-lived teasing can be.”

Back to Front and Upside Down! - Claire Alexander

“The book sends the positive message that things will get better with
a bit of hard work.” Focuses on a puppy named Stan, whose letters are
written ‘back to front and upside down’ (dyslexia.)

My Many-Colored Days - Dr. Seuss

“Gives young kids a groundwork for describing their feelings,

normalizing the experience of having multiple emotions. Bonus: It will also
help toddlers and preschoolers learn colors.”

I Miss You: A First Look at Death - Pat Thomas

“This book explains...why people die and how hard it can be to say
goodbye.” It contains questions throughout the book that you can ask
children.

OCDaniel - Wesley King

YA book about a 13-year old dealing with OCD named Daniel who
tries to hide his “zaps.”

What I Like About Me! - Allia Zobel Nolan

“In this simple book for young children, students at school celebrate
their diversity.”
Teacher Resource Books

Real People Identifying Depression, Preventing Suicide - Sunburst Visual

Media

Guided lesson ideas about depression and suicide. Is suggested for

grades 5-9.

The Defiant Child - Dr. Douglas A. Riley

“A parent’s guide to oppositional defiant disorder.”

Successful problem-solving for high-functioning students with Autism

Spectrum Disorders. - Kerry Mataya & Penney Owens

Childhood Revealed - Katie Couric

“Art expressing pain, discovery and hope.” Examples of children's

artwork based on and inspired by their struggles.

Meh- Deborah Malcolm

Finding Audrey - Sophie Kinsella

A book about friendship and connections about a young girl with an

anxiety disorder.

The Huge Bag of Worries - by: Virginia Ironside

A book about a child who has many worries, and when they find out
that their worries and stress don’t seem so big after all.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Handbook for Schools: Transforming Mental

Health Support on a Budget - Clare Erasmus

“An intuitive and practical approach to mental health and wellbeing

that any school can adopt to transform their mental health support for
students.”

Last Child in the Woods - Richard Louv

 “Documents decreased exposure of children to nature in American
society and how this ‘nature-deficit disorder’ harms children and society.”
Online Resources

 Canadian Mental Health Association

www.cmha.ca

 Toolkits for Mental Health

www.mentalhealthcommission.ca

 Alberta Mental Health

www.albertahealthservices.ca/amh

 Lethbridge and area resources and programs:

https://www.mymentalhealth.ca/regions/lethbridge/
 https://www.alberta.ca/addiction-mental-health.aspx
 Working Together to Support Mental Health in Alberta
Schools: https://education.alberta.ca/media/3576206/working_togeth
er_to_support_mental_health.pdf
 Podcast: Back to School Anxiety: Pinwheel Children’s Series
o BC Children's Hospital
 Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre at BC Children’s
Hospital https://keltymentalhealth.ca/school-professionals
 Ontario Youth Mental Health Programs

https://ontario.cmha.ca/youth-mental-health-programs/

 Mental Health Commission of Canada

https://www.mhfa.ca/en/general-resources

 Healthy Minds Healthy Children

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/Page4718.aspx

 Mental Health Online Resources for Educators

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/Page9167.aspx
 Elementary Mental Health Lesson Kit

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/Page13368.aspx

 Junior High Mental Health Lesson Kit

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/Page13367.aspx
Student Resources

What to do When Your Brain Gets Stuck - Dawn Huebner

“A kids guide to overcoming OCD.”

What to do When you Worry too much - Dawn Huebner

“A kids guide to overcoming anxiety.”

What to do When your Temper Flares - Dawn Huebner

“A kids guide to overcoming problems with anger.”

Crisis Text Line - Kids Help Phone.

Canada Wide, 24/7 text services with crisis responders. Text TALK to
686868

Kids Help Phone

1-800-668-6868 or https://kidshelpphone.ca

7cups.com

Community volunteers to chat and group chats.

Connecteen

“Talk on your terms.” Chat, email or text. Text 587-333-2724 (Monday

to Friday, from 3pm – 10pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm)

YouthSpace

Community volunteers. Text 778-783-0177 (6pm – 12am PST)

MindShift App

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help relax, develop effective

ways of thinking and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety.
Features thought journal, coping cards, check ins, healthy habits, goal
setting, etc.

Insight Timer

Guided courses and meditation, music and timer to assist with

anxiety, managing stress, improving sleep, building self-esteem, improving
relationships and etc.

World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) App

(Android only) Weekly readings/teachings and meditation timer to

help encourage daily meditative prayer.

Operation Reach Out App

Offers short videos to help reassess suicidal thoughts and offers

guidance to family members.

WebMD’s Depression TV

Offers well-produced short videos about depression.

PD/Learning Opportunities

Mental Health First Aid

Offers ‘basic,’ ‘adults who interact with youth,’ ‘First Nations,’ ‘Inuit,’
‘Northern Peoples,’ ‘Seniors’ and ‘Veteran Community’ courses.