June 10, 2009

When help is needed, we offer these mental health resources and ask for your input.
. . .
Dear Parents and Community:

The last day of school is often fun, exciting and bittersweet all at the same time as students and staff say their goodbyes. The end of school is filled with retirement receptions, award assemblies and yearbook signings. We enjoyed all those this past week, but some other less-joyful circumstances make the close of this year especially painful. It is still difficult to shake the tragedy of losing two more Barrington High School Students during the final days of the semester.

As reported by the Daily Herald and Courier-Review newspapers, just yesterday I met with 40 parent and community representatives from numerous organizations committed to help us address the threat of teen suicide. Together, we will develop a comprehensive series of programs and events by September of 2009 to frame a public discussion about mental health concerns among our students and their families.

So much good is already being done in our schools – so many students are being helped and saved by more than two dozen social-emotional strategies currently in place or planned. However, these efforts are not enough. We understand the anxiety, fear and questions many parents have about the wellbeing of their children. We are dedicated this summer to identify new practices and to prepare more meaningful programs so we are ready when students return in 10 weeks. By late August, you will receive details of a new approach to change conversations about teenage mental health in Barrington 220.

We need your help, but we cannot afford to wait until classes resume. Starting today, we are assisting the Healthier Barrington initiative in gathering parent responses to simple questions that will help evaluate and guide our next steps. Please take a moment to complete this concise online survey (follow this link). Your answers may remain confidential and will be objectively compiled and reported.

Also, in the interim of our summer break, the many quality mental health resources this area offers remain fully available to your family and our students. Organizations such as Barrington Youth and Family Services, Hospice of Northeastern Illinois, Family Service of the Barrington Area, Samaritan Counseling Center, Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Barrington, are each ready for any family crisis no matter the season. Please utilize their services should the need arise before school restarts Aug. 25.

Despite the seriousness of this matter and the burden we carry for our youth who may suffer from emotional distress, we end the year thankful for more than 9,000 students who continue to succeed, thrive, be healthy and enjoy learning in our schools. We will not forget the four we lost in the past 20 months, but we also want to remember the thousands of students who are happy to spend more time at home this summer. Cherish your children and the upcoming weeks you have with them.

Although school ends tomorrow, our work is just beginning. If you have feedback or would like to join us in the effort to address the emotional resilience of students, I hope you will let me know.

Wishing you your best summer yet, Tom Leonard
tleonard@cusd220.org