
The West Virginia Department of Education recognizes that educating a child goes beyond instruction. During these particularly challenging times, we are working closely with national and state health officials to provide guidance that addresses the entire well-being of the child. Research confirms that students perform better when they are in school and their social-emotional, mental and physical well-being are properly addressed.
As we look to the 2020-21 school year, we recognize the importance of the one caring adult who connects our students to learning, ensures their academic and basic needs are met and makes sure no child goes hungry. This focus area represents the most updated information available to address not only the physical health of our students, educators and staff, but also the social-emotional and mental well-being of every individual in the school community. The information available on these pages will serve as a framework for the upcoming school year.
Overall Considerations
Formalize a plan/protocol to ensure a safe learning environment for students and staff.
Develop a framework to ensure students are and connected to at least one caring adult in the school. Explore strategies to develop healthy relationships with students such as For Educators: Relationship Mapping Strategies.
Develop a plan to educate students, school staff and families about the roles of student support personnel and other community partners in supporting student success. Consider using this document as a resource: Collaborating for Student Success: Understanding the Roles of Professional Student Support Personnel.
Contact families in advance and consider conducting a needs assessment, such as the West Virginia Department of Education Family Re-entry Questionnaire to determine needs prior to re-entry.
Determine protocols, training and materials to keep staff, families and students educated and protected.
Communicate re-entry plans via a variety of channels to provide return-to-school information to students, staff and families to minimize worries and concerns.
- Consider conducting virtual meetings, led by the school mental health staff, to provide education around the roles of student support staff and plans to assist students with physical, social-emotional and mental health needs to help with minimizing worries and concerns.
Expedite resource mapping to identify available resources and needs.
- Collaborate closely with the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR), the local health department, community partners and childcare providers (including before/after school care) to assess resources, determine a need for additional support and develop/continue safe and supportive practices and procedures.
Establish and communicate a referral process to address the physical, social-emotional and mental health needs of students and staff.
Mobilize a crisis response and planning team consisting of school administrators, a school counselor, a school nurse, educators, parents and others identified in West Virginia State Code to update and revise the West Virginia Schools Crisis Prevention and Response Plan through collaborative planning. (Refer to Crisis Response Plan Template Overview/Instructions for more information.)
Physical Wellness
The school nurse should communicate with local health officials and collaborate with school-based health centers to determine strategies to prevent community spread and best practices related to COVID-19 and re-entry.
- Collaborate with community partners to establish county-wide health guidelines in addressing needs in the areas including:
- safety equipment
- staff caring for a student with infectious symptoms
- cleaning and disinfecting
- health office visits
- return to school
- students with chronic health conditions
- social distancing
- planning for quarantined area/appropriate ventilation
- Collaborate with community partners to establish county-wide health guidelines in addressing needs in the areas including:
Determine protocols for identifying, isolating/caring for and tracking students or staff who have entered the building and present with symptoms, or are COVID-19-confirmed, or potentially exposed (i.e., assess risk and decide building dismissal under the guidance of local health officials).
Establish an alternative work plan/schedule for employees who have been identified by their physician to be at a higher risk for severe illness when appropriate and as determined by school/work needs.
The school nurse should systematically review all current health plans for accommodating students with special healthcare needs and update their care plans as needed to decrease their risk of exposure to COVID-19. Consider ways to accommodate the needs of children who are medically fragile, have underlying medical conditions and/or are prone to illnesses.
Collaborate to assess resources (i.e., personnel, existing partners, local providers) to determine if there is a need for additional supports, medical services, supplies, etc. and establish partnerships with community providers to provide additional services and resources, as needed.
- Inventory and prepare to provide students, school health personnel and staff with any necessary safety and disinfecting supplies.
Collaborate with the school nurse to review health policies and practices to determine waivers and/or changes in practices.
The school nurse should establish and communicate safe procedures for any basic health screenings (e.g., hearing, vision).
The school nurse should collaborate to provide education and materials around safety protocols (e.g., proper handwashing, surface cleaning, cough/sneezing etiquette, properly wearing a mask).
- Create developmentally appropriate and family-friendly virtual training and resources on safety protocols for school staff to share with students and communicate with parents/guardians.
- Identify and use signage explaining best practices to prevent germ spread in classrooms and common areas.
Social-Emotional Wellness
Identify instructional programs/resources to explicitly teach student social-emotional competencies.
- The school counselor should collaborate with the school leadership team to ensure the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Dispositions and Standards for Student (WVBE Policy 2520.19) for grades K-12 are integrated throughout all curriculum/lessons.
- Ensure curriculum and resources promote social justice and equity for all students.
Establish a trauma-sensitive school and consider the following:
- Review the discipline policies to ensure the school is using a trauma-informed approach. Avoid assuming a lack of demonstration of social skills represents willful disobedience or purposeful insubordination. This should take priority over academics.
- Utilize professional student support staff or partner agencies (i.e. WV Behavior Mental Health/Technical Assistance Center) to provide professional learning opportunities about trauma to equip school staff to support students, families and each other.
- Define a plan to monitor student adjustment to re-entry and establish protocols for identifying and providing check-ins with vulnerable students.
- Establish partnerships with support agencies (e.g., WV DHHR – prevention lead organizations, Family Resource Networks, Child Advocacy Centers, Handle With Care) to provide prevention, supports and resources, as needed.
Create opportunities for school leaders to connect and share ideas to address social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies and capacities aligned to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) five core competencies.
Mental Health Wellness
Develop a mental health crisis response team, as outlined in the Crisis Response Plan Template Overview/Instructions, to provide mental health supports in response to a crisis. Consider the procurement of additional mental health assessment services, including crisis management support.
Establish a school mental health collaborative team consisting of school counselors, school psychologists, social workers and school nurses who advocate for students in areas of discipline, support, intervention, de-escalation/coping and referral. The team should also focus on the physical, social-emotional and mental health wellness of students, staff and families.
Plan for school psychologists, school counselors and other student support professionals to be available to provide mental health supports (especially when school starts).
Support staff mental health readiness for re-entry:
- Develop supports and provide resources for staff self-care to address compassion fatigue prevention, how to deal with grief/loss and build resiliency.
- Provide information about employee assistance programs available through West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) and in your community.
- Provide opportunities for staff to process emotions, share challenges and provide support for one another.
- Develop a referral system for individuals who need targeted support as well as access to school-employed and community mental health professionals.
Overall Considerations
Implement a plan/protocol to ensure a safe learning environment for students and staff.
Prioritize strategies to ensure a safe and welcoming environment where students are and connected to at least one caring adult in the school.
Physical Wellness
Update all emergency contacts for students and staff
The school nurse should obtain complete health histories and current well-child checks for all students entering pre-k, kindergarten, grade 2, grade 7 and grade 12. Be alert for any conditions or chronic illnesses that may exacerbate symptoms of COVID-19.
The school nurse should systematically review all current health plans for accommodating students with special healthcare needs and update their care plans as needed to decrease their risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Communicate the self-referral process for students/families and school staff to self-identify and present as high risk for COVID-19 and have a plan in place to address requests for alternative learning arrangements or work assignments.
- Establish protocols for identifying, isolating, caring for and tracking students who present with COVID-19 symptoms.
- Require students and staff to stay home if ill; align with attendance and personnel.
The school nurse or designee should provide daily health reports from school to the county office.
Social-Emotional Wellness
Ensure all educators, students, families and community members have access to immediate help and resources via the ReClaimWV website and other resources/documents related to trauma, substance misuse prevention, social-emotional health and mental health.
Ensure school administration and staff are providing a trauma-sensitive learning environment
- Recognize home is not always a safe place for some students and develop a plan to identify and support them. The degree of stress experienced by students during this period will vary significantly.
- Consider the impact of wearing masks on students and staff. Specific considerations should be made for English-language learners and students with disabilities, especially those who are deaf and hard of hearing. Impacts may inhibit the ability to:
- read emotions and facial expressions;
- follow speech;
- participate in speech-related interventions; and
- participate and focus on academics.
- Teach skills in validation, acknowledging everyone has/ had a different experience from COVID-19, and not everyone in each school will be in the same place in recovery.
- Anticipate significant academic, emotional and social regression, while at the same time build upon the unique experiences of each student and staff member.
- Establish an intentional focus on social-emotional skill building, mental and behavioral health, personal safety and self-regulatory capacity, which likely regressed with a lack of social interactions.
- Avoid assuming a lack of demonstration of social skills represents willful disobedience or purposeful insubordination. This should take priority over academics.
Provide training and resources to school staff and families on how to best address their own self-care needs, as well as how to assist students with their re-entry.
Mental Health Wellness
Mandate school-level outreach to at-risk students (those with previously identified mental health issues and/or those most impacted by COVID-19).
Complete and formalize a plan to address the findings from needs assessments with students, staff and/or families. Utilize the professional student support personnel to execute the plan.
Advance supports, guidance and resources to school staff on how to continue to best address their own self-care needs, as well as how to continue to assist students with upon re-entry.
Evaluate resources (i.e. personnel, existing partners, local providers) to determine the need for additional supports and establish partnerships with mental health providers for additional mental health services, as needed.
Utilize professional student support staff or partner agencies (i.e. WV Behavior Mental Health/Technical Assistance Center) to provide professional learning opportunities such as trauma-informed schools, Youth Mental Health First Aid or compassion fatigue.
Overall Considerations
Implement a plan/protocol to ensure a safe learning environment for students and staff.
Prioritize strategies to ensure students are and connected to at least one caring adult in the school.
Assemble “toolkits” for students to address physical, social-emotional and mental health wellness in preparation for an emergency shut down.
Physical Wellness
The school nurse or designee should provide daily health reports from school to the county office.
The school nurse should update health records.
Update emergency contacts for students and staff, as needed.
Require students and staff to stay home if ill; align with attendance and personnel.
Social-Emotional Wellness
Provide ongoing education to families and educators regarding the benefits of social-emotional learning (SEL).
Establish routines and procedures to provide an integrated framework to support SEL needs in the classroom and at home.
Mental Health Wellness
Provide outreach to at-risk students (those with previously identified mental health issues and/or those most impacted by COVID-19).
Assess training needs via data collection or needs assessments and utilize professional student support personnel or partner agencies (i.e. WV Behavior Mental Health/Technical Assistance Center) to provide professional learning opportunities such as trauma-informed schools, Youth Mental Health First Aid, compassion fatigue, etc.
Physical Wellness
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- 40 Print Resources Including Posters (CDC)
- Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility (CDC)
- Employees: How to Cope with Job Stress and Build Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic (CDC)
- How to Protect Yourself & Others (CDC)
- K-12 School and Childcare Programs: FAQ for Administrators, Teachers and Parents (CDC)
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Burn Rate Calculator (CDC)
- Quarantine and Isolation (CDC)
- Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19 (CDC)
- Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (CDC)
- School Decision Tree on Opening (CDC)
- Strategies to Optimize the Supply of PPE and Equipment (CDC)
- When to Wear Gloves (CDC)
- People Who are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness (CDC)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Cleaning Your Home (CDC)
- Handwashing for You & Your Family (CDC)
- How COVID-19 Spreads (CDC)
- How to Protect Yourself & Others (CDC)
- People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness (CDC)
- Quarantine and Isolation (CDC)
- Symptoms of Coronavirus (CDC)
- What is Social Distancing? (CDC)
- What to Do if You are Sick (CDC)
- When You Can Be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19 (CDC)
Social-Emotional Wellness
Supporting Students
Self-Care
Mental Health Wellness
Supporting Students
Self-Care
UnitedHealth Group – Optum Emotional-Support Help Line 866-342-6892 (The service is free of charge, open to all PEIA members and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.)
Other Help and Hotlines
Emergency Help: 9-1-1
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 The Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones and best practices for professionals.
Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor.
Child & Adult Abuse Hotline 1-800-352-6513 Anyone may report suspected abuse or neglect must call the West Virginia Centralized Intake for Abuse or Neglect.
Help4WV: (844) HELP4WV (844-435-7498); Text (844) 435-7498; Email help4wv@1stchs.com. HELP4WV offers a 24/7 call, chat and text line that provides immediate help for any West Virginian struggling with an addiction or mental health issue.
Help & Hope WV: Help & Hope WV connects people to information, tools, directory of services, calendar of training and events across the state.
Drug Abuse and Referral Hotline 1-800-662-4357 SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
West Virginia Division of Emergency Management 304-558-5380 The mission of the West Virginia Division of Emergency Management (WVEM) is to ensure the protection of life and property by providing coordination, guidance, support and assistance to local emergency managers and first responders. The division contains multiple branches that work seamlessly together to achieve WVEM’s overall mission. In addition to these branches and the Watch Center, which is staffed 24/7, the division operates the State’s Emergency Operations Center when the Governor orders an activation.
West Virginia Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The West Virginia Poison Center (WVPC) staff of nurses, pharmacists and doctors offers assessment and emergency treatment recommendations on accidental exposures to medications and household substances, plant ingestion, snake, spider and other insect bites and stings, chemical spills, occupational exposures and drug overdoses for the public and health care professionals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
West Virginia State Police: 304-746-2100
West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management 304-558-5380 The mission of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) is to ensure the protection of life and property by providing coordination, guidance, support and assistance to local emergency managers and first responders.
ReClaimWV A collaborative collection of resources for educators, students and families with information on trauma, mental health and substance misuse.
SAMHSA National Disaster Distress Helpline: Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories.
2-1-1 WV Call 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898-211. Every day hundreds of people across West Virginia turn to 211 for information and support—whether financial, domestic, health or disaster-related.
WV DHHR Comprehensive Behavioral Health Centers: West Virginia’s comprehensive behavioral health centers are open and offer an array of services for children and adults.