ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University has partnered with the Rock Hill school district and the South Carolina chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to form a Parent Academy that focuses on mental health issues.
The free sessions started in October and will be held throughout the school year. All sessions are open to the Rock Hill community.
Jessica Yang, assistant professor of social work, said the Winthrop partnership with
the Rock Hill school district grew last year when she worked with the district to
do an exploratory research project in the elementary schools. The project called for
creating a proactive approach which schools would use to improve school safety and
promote positive behavior.
As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, Yang said it became evident that there were pressing
needs among students to address grief and loss related to COVID-19, the racial injustices
in American society and the need for equitable school discipline practices.
In response to those needs, Yang and her colleagues, Associate Professor Monique Constance-Huggins and Instructor Sarah Hopkins, agreed to partner with the school district to provide professional development for staff and webinars for parents and others.
For the November and December webinars, tune in to the Rock Hill Schools’ YouTube channel for the live stream or visit later and watch on demand from your smartphone, tablet, laptop or the YouTube app on any Internet-enabled Smart TV. All presentations will air live from 6-7 p.m.
The first session on Oct. 21 was Navigating the Pandemic: Acknowledging the New Normal, with a Side of Grief, which Hopkins led.
Future sessions are below:
Wednesday, Nov. 18
Topic: Restorative Practice: A guide for Parents
Presenter: Jessica Yang
Tuesday, Dec. 1
Topic: Ending the Silence for Families: Youth Mental Health during COVID-19
Presenter: Judy Rauppius from the South Carolina chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Thursday, Dec. 3
Topic: Navigating the Pandemic: Looking at the Experiences of Diverse Groups
Presenter: Monique Constance-Huggins
Thursday, Dec. 8
Topic: Panel Discussion: Navigating the Pandemic
Participants: Nancy Turner, director of exceptional student education, Rock Hill Schools; Jessica Yang, Winthrop; Monique Constance-Huggins, Winthrop; Sarah Hopkins, Winthrop; and others to be confirmed. The discussion will be facilitated by Mychal Frost, director of marketing and communications, Rock Hill Schools.
For more information, contact Yang at yangj@winthrop.edu.
