At last Thursday’s workshop, Okaloosa Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers gave the board an update as it pertains to mental health throughout the district.

According to Chambers, each year the OCSD is increasing the number of mental health counselors available to students.

“Going into the 2nd semester and into next school year, we’ll be looking at a more comprehensive mental health program,” said Chambers. “One of those components is going to be a professional development that is being created and worked on as we speak.”

Chambers says that it’s extremely important to make connections with students who might be struggling.

“They might be struggling for various reasons, so as educators, being able to see some of these students who are struggling and really making those connections with those students is important,” he added. “That’ll be a big push as we go into next year.”

In addition to the professional development, the district will also be creating a mental health campaign that will consist of videos and posters centered around mental health.

• Chambers says that one of the goals with the campaign is to help remove any stigma surrounding mental health.

“There’s people that we come across each and every day that we don’t necessarily realize they’re struggling,” he said.

During the workshop, Chambers also touched on suicide prevention and student behavior.

“Every secondary school in Okaloosa County will be a Hope Squad school by the end of this year,” he added. “Next year, every elementary school will be a Hope Squad school, as well. If we save one life, then this whole program has already been successful.”

On student behavior, Chambers noted that the district has seen an increase in different behaviors in schools.

“Nowadays, students are struggling with even more outside factors and so the way that we handle behaviors, we have to take a different approach,” he said. “We’ll continue looking at our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in schools. That doesn’t mean taken away consequences. That doesn’t mean being less in-tune with what’s going on, but we have to be able to teach the behaviors that we expect and then hold students accountable to those expectations.”