Middle School students have busy lives. They’re constantly learning, whether in the classroom or in social settings or playing sports. They are learning to navigate friendships and building relationships with the adults in their lives. And there’s always homeworks, quizzes, tests, and papers due. It can feel like a lot.
Enter Mental Health Day! Our amazing counselors and fifth- and sixth-grade teams created an entire day designed to break up the routine and get students to stretch mentally, emotionally, and physically. Erin Sutherin, Middle School Counselor, said, “Mental Health Day was created to allow students to learn about themselves, learn about what mental health is, and participate in activities that enable them to rest, reset, and reinforce their personal mental health needs. This may even look like having fun!”
Fifth-grade students enjoyed a pajama and bring-your-stuffie-to-school day, and all students rotated through a variety of fun, creative stations:
- Mandala Drawing/Coloring
- Duodogs
- Makerspace: creating identity tiles
- Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) breakout room
- CHADS Coalition presentation: A Lesson in Empathy and Emotion Management
The fifth graders ended their day with a movie.
Sixth-grade students were surveyed before the day so they could choose their activities. They selected one activity for the morning session, and five of the eight afternoon offerings. All the students also had sessions with CHADS Coalition presenters, who offer programs to advance the awareness and prevention of depression and suicide.
Sixth-Grade Morning Sessions
- Paper Airplanes: Join this session for an awesome paper airplane-building workshop! Together, we will discover the secrets of the world’s furthest sailing paper airplanes, then have fun trying to fold and fly our own creations the furthest!
- Animals on the Loose…You vs. Wild with Bear Grylls: When wild animals escape from a sanctuary, Bear Grylls – and YOU – must pursue them and secure their protective habitat!
Sixth-Grade Afternoon Sessions
- Journaling: Did you know that journaling has many personal benefits? From goal setting/tracking to improving writing and communication skills, from reducing stress and anxiety to strengthening your memory. No matter which journaling route you take, you are sure to gain self-confidence and find inspiration.
- Reading in Nature: Spend time relaxing and reading your favorite book outside, surrounded by nature and fresh air. You will need a book and a towel/little blanket to read on if you want.
- Board Games: Spend time with your peers playing board games and having fun in a relaxing and non-competitive atmosphere.
- Stress Relief with Doodle Breathing: Embrace the healing power of creativity and enjoy the opportunity to draw and doodle while practicing breathing techniques to relieve emotions.
- Take a Hike: Discover the great trails and walking paths of MICDS on a hike with your peers.
- Know when to Fold’em with Origami Challenges: Enjoy listening to soothing music while creating awesome origami to hide in sixth-grade classrooms for teachers to discover.
- Dog Therapy: Duo Dog brings their Touch Therapy Dogs to provide a sense of unconditional love and connection. They offer a sense of calm and well-being and encourage activity and determination.
- Bracelet Making: Enjoy a laid-back and creative session of friendship bracelet making, where you can choose vibrant strings, experiment with various patterns, and exchange your masterpieces with friends. This fun and relaxing activity fosters a sense of camaraderie while offering a welcome break from the demands of school, providing an enjoyable space for self-expression and connection.
- Virtual Calming Room: Students can use this time to listen to calming sounds, practice breathing techniques, watch relaxing videos, and more. Students can also use this time to familiarize themselves with these resources so they can continue to use them all year long.
Sutherlin notes that while the activities are fun and appealing, they were chosen with great thought and intention. “We explained the various aspects of our health (physical, emotional, and social) and walked students through a self-assessment of what their personal needs are to truly reset,” she explained. “They were able to choose activities from those categories, so by the end of the day, they were better equipped to finish the week than when they started. We encourage our students to continue assessing their needs and addressing them as a healthy practice for life.”
The students did have a great time. They didn’t let the chilly temperatures hinder their time outside, either. Ajaya Spann ’30 said, “It was really calming. It felt like a break from school because we have some tests coming up, and it helped us become less stressed. It really felt relaxed today. My favorite part was the hike around campus, which was choose your own path, like, go straight, left, or right. It was really fun!”
Ada Song ’30 agreed. She said, “Mental Health Day was really relaxing. We got to do fun things, but it was a mix between fun and calm, and that was really nice. We sometimes could be solitary but we could also come together. One of my favorite parts was when we were outside reading. I like reading, and reading outside in this temperature is really nice for me, being in the sun, and staring at a book with lots and lots of words.”
“It is important to teach our kids the significance of making time for themselves to relax and reset their bodies and minds,” said Sutherlin. “They have been working hard all semester, and especially after a late night of eating candy, deans of fifth and sixth recognized learning on November 1 would be a challenge for most students. So they chose to support them with intentionality rather than force them back to learning.”
What a great day for our fifth- and sixth-grade scholars! Thank you to our counselors Susie McGaughey and Erin Sutherlin, our deans Mark Duvall and Christine Mayer, and all the teachers who supported this wonderful day!