Focusing On Mental Health

“The last few years have been anything but ordinary; the pandemic touched all our lives in one way or another,” shared CCS Lower School Counselor Angela Liner. “From the kindergartener whose preschool years were disjointed, to the eighth grader whose middle school years had added complexity, to the senior class preparing for yet another change. We recognize that as we find our footing and new normal, it is vital to focus on and invest in the mental health of our students. Part of our mission is to educate the whole child and we know that equipping the people in our students’ daily lives - the parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, mentors - is the most effective way to connect with and support this generation of students.”

Supporting our Students

The three division counselors meet regularly with our students to share lessons from our social and emotional curriculum, CharacterStrong, and strengthen the material by adding a biblical lens. New bell schedules were created in the middle and upper school this year to provide a daily KnightTime period with custom designed content to meet students’ academic and developmental needs, enhance spiritual formation and foster student engagement.

Supporting our Employees

Counselors, teachers and staff attended two Learning & the Brain brain-based conferences this semester focused on the brain science to help improve students’ emotional self-regulation and executive functioning. The group explored evidence-based strategies for dealing with challenging behaviors, ADHD, learning disorders and bullying behaviors as well as strategies to promote student connections, collaboration, cooperation and belonging.

Supporting our Parents

Charlotte Christian hosted parent education nights for CCS parents and the greater Charlotte community as the school partners with families in parenting and supporting our students. This semester counselor and speaker Dr. Chinwé Williams spoke on how to best support anxious students and help students to be seen through the power of connection.

“I am grateful that we are part of a school community that supports and educates parents, so that we can better support our children,” shared Mrs. Margaret Lawrence, parent to an eighth grader. “While the trends she shared regarding depression and suicide in youth are alarming, she offered hope and useful tools for how we as parents can connect with and support our children where they are. Parenting a child in this day and age is challenging under the best of circumstances.”