School-based mental health services had become increasingly popular in the decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the explosion of distress levels coupled with the influx of pandemic-related funding opportunities led to an even greater presence of mental health services in school settings. As schools and society at large continue to adapt to a new normal, it may be a good time to step back and reassess the scope and effectiveness of school-based programs.

Moods shift when May approaches, as rigid schedules filled with alarm clocks, bells and packed agendas are finally coming to an end. To ensure a safe, supportive and mentally healthy season, schools and families should work together to establish a summer safety plan for students that continues to provide much-needed structure and resources for families to promote a sense of wellbeing and stability for the student.

In October 2021, when former U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy declared youth mental health the “crisis of our time,” something shifted in the hearts and minds of educators across the country. Educators and parents knew it was happening; they could see the mental health of their children and teens worsening in their homes and classrooms. They read stories in the news that teen anxiety, depression and suicide were rampant and exposure to social media and gun violence was making matters worse.

There are many strategies schools can use to support teachers’ mental health both in and out of the classroom; however, one in particular stands out as an effective and engaging tool for retaining quality teachers: professional development.

Understanding the factors influencing a teacher’s decision to leave their role is critical to developing an effective retention strategy. Although compensation is cited most often as a primary reason teachers leave their positions or seek new opportunities, feeling heard, along with recognition and various other factors, plays a role in a teacher’s decision to either stay or leave.

SAD and other forms of depression can negatively impact all three of these developmental areas. Depressive symptoms affect energy, motivation, memory, and focus – all necessary for academic achievement. They can lead to “hibernating” and other forms of social withdrawal that affect both the quality of friendships and participation in activities that develop teamwork and the ability to navigate relationships with different types of people. And, perhaps most damaging of all, depression impacts one’s sense of self.

This is the time of year when teachers may need additional support to stay motivated – and to ensure their students do, too. Administrators have a vital role to play in helping teachers avoid the doldrums of the second half of the year and ensure that the months from January to June remain satisfying and productive for everyone.

While ordinary disappointments are part of any childhood, depression, severe anxiety, and thoughts of harming oneself are not. Alarmingly, these and other mental health issues are on the rise among our nation’s teenagers, leading experts to declare that America’s young people remain in the midst of a growing mental health crisis.