The month of May is National Mental Health Month.

At Lockport Township High School, a student’s mental health is considered the most important thing above education. The school’s primary goal is to ensure that every student’s emotional and mental needs are met. To achieve this, LTHS  has put together a few resources and precautions for the students to utilize whenever they are in need. Specifically, Lockport ensured that everyone’s mental health was taken into account by adding a crisis hotline on the back of students’ IDs, integrating wellness on Wednesdays during physical education periods, making resources available on the student splash page and hosting required informational assemblies. In addition to all of these preventative measures, Lockport provides three excused absences on account of mental health a year. 

Students are required to wear an I.D card throughout the day for identification purposes. On the back of these ID’s, there is a crisis prevention hotline number. Providing this information ensures that students always have an immediate option for professional help if they experience a situation in which they need help. 

At Lockport Township, students are required to take a physical education class for all eight semesters of high school. Every Wednesday, these PE classes are required to do “wellness Wednesdays”, chosen by the teacher. This time is dedicated to helping students to calm their brains and bodies, having students do something other than schoolwork.  Many teachers choose things like yoga, meditation, coloring, fun crafting activities, and so much more. 

During homeroom and PE periods, students are also required to attend assemblies designed to inform and encourage students to request and receive help when needed. These assemblies serve as a reminder that support is always available, regardless of the situation or time of day. Students are encouraged to maintain open communication with others, whether that be a friend, or remember that the guidance counselors’ doors are always open, and you just have to take the step inside. 

Additionally, every Chromebook owned by the district features a splash page that opens automatically when a student launches Google. This page includes a quick link for students who need to talk to someone, providing both a text and a call line. There is also a direct link to schedule a meeting with a guidance counselor. 

At Lockport Township High School, the community believes “together we succeed”. All staff and students are there to support one another. As Mr. Marfise, a sophomore integrated Math 2 teacher and senior stats and discrete math teacher, often says, “Your mental health and well-being are more important than the work you can do in any class.” Remember, help is always available if you need it.