NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WLUC) – Negaunee and Westwood High School teachers learned how to recognize and address if a student is experiencing a mental health emergency.
Classes offered by Marquette Alger RESA last eight hours and contain a variety of activities to best equip teachers. Rachel Bloch, a first aid trainer at MARESA, said teachers have good opportunities to reach students during the day.
“So we used an action plan called ALG. The A is about how you approach youth. The L is how do you listen to your students without judgment? How do you give them reassurance and hope if they’re going through mental health challenges?” Bloch said. “How do you encourage them to connect with professionals, and then how do you encourage them to develop a self-care plan?”
Bloch said every student is different, and teachers can now plan accordingly. Andrew Brunette, principal of Negaunee High School, said Friday’s lessons were valuable in keeping students safe.
“A large part of our strength at Negaunee High School is our staff. It is obviously something we are happy and excited to be able to provide our staff with more tools to better serve our students,” Brunette Say.
Brunet said Friday’s training was just one step toward the school’s larger goals for its students.
“Our main goal is to eventually launch a Youth Mental Health First Aid program for students at Negaunee High School. But before we start, the first step in that process is to have all of our faculty and staff trained in Mental Health First Aid,” he said.
Marquette Alger RESA will host a similar event Saturday for Northern Michigan education students, Bloch said.
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