School focuses on range of student needs

The effect of our high-paced society isn't just catching up on adults; it's stressing children as well. The evidence can be found in the words of eighth graders at St. Brigid's Regional Catholic School in Watervliet who offered some reasons it's difficult to be a young person today.

"There's not enough time," said Jim Morris. "With schoolwork, sports and other things, it's hard to schedule."

There are other pressures on students. Taunts from children attending other schools and expectations placed on them by adults add to the anxiety of life.

"You have to set an example," said Joely Moulton, also an eighth grader, and that is difficult.

Surveying youth

Last year, the school conducted a survey of student needs to determine what additional programming was needed at the school. The survey, initiated by former principal Ana Youmans, found that the children wanted assistance with coping skills and conflict resolution.

According to Patricia Eldridge, the current principal, the students are affected by living in separated and divorced families, having two parents working, and even having a new teacher.

Mrs. Eldridge, also a parent, has found that often when children come to an adult with a fear or concern, the child does not get the response they're looking for.

"As a parent, we're quick to say `grow up," or `you're being foolish,'" she said. "The children just want someone to listen to them. We need to tell them `the feeling you're having is real; it's okay to feel that way.'"

Wellness

To help the children in the school and families develop those communication and coping skills, the school community has chosen "wellness" as a theme for the year.

To implement that theme, the faculty was trained in the Ombudsman Program, offered by the Albany Diocesan Drug Education Ministry (ADDEM). The three-day training, which took place at the beginning of the school year, helped unite the group as well as present them with skills to help improve the self-esteem and resiliency of their students.

St. Brigid's Regional is the only Catholic school in the Capital District to have undergone the training as a whole faculty.

Information sessions

Another aspect of the wellness theme is the implementation of a six-week parent information seminar program. The program, which is being facilitated by ADDEM, is sponsored by the school and the Home School Association.

The program will provide parents with information on self-esteem, communication skills, assertiveness, stress prevention and drug avoidance. Sister Anne Bryan Smollin, CSJ, director of diocesan Counseling for the Laity, kicked off the parenting series with a talk on raising healthy children in an unhealthy world.

The parenting information seminars are being offered free of charge to the St. Brigid's Regional School community. Dinner and child care for the evening are free as well.

Getting to roots

Jeanne Cote, director of ADDEM, explained that while many parents are concerned that their children will begin using drugs, substance abuse is an indicator of other problems.

"Substance abuse is a symptom of stress, poor self-esteem, poor communication skills and a lack of assertiveness," she said.

In her work with ADDEM, Mrs. Cote has found that students lack skills to communicate their problems, which causes problems for them.

Asserting values

Another difficulty facing Catholic school students, she said, is that at school and in the home, students are taught to live out values; but they lack the assertiveness skills to stand up to the outside world and live out those values.

Mrs. Eldridge hopes that this year's emphasis on wellness at her school will provide the students with this assertiveness.

"Our children hear the message of Jesus to be peacemakers but don't know what to do," she explained. "We teach it, live it, embody it -- then they get off the bus and they're with children not exposed to the same values. It's difficult."

Help for children

As the faculty, administration and parents at St. Brigid's Regional Catholic School in Watervliet try to improve the coping skills of children enrolled there, another resource is available to help resolve immediate needs.

Sister Mary Thurlough, DC, parish social minister for the Watervliet Cluster, spends part of her week in the school helping students, faculty and families.

Last year, her first in the position, she made herself available to the students and helped arrange such programs as support for children in separated and divorced homes.

Sister Mary said that students often want to talk about problems with schoolwork, friends, fears or their family life. If a family is divorced, often the child doesn't want to talk to one parent about a problem they are having with another, she explained. Since she is an outsider to their family life, children are more comfortable talking with her and mapping out a way to resolve the problem.

The students in the school enjoy Sister Mary's presence. Eighth-grade students recently described her as "fun" and "nice." More importantly, they are pleased to have her available to talk to.

"I think it's good for the school," said John Ryan, a student. "If you're having a problem with one teacher, you're not likely to talk to another teacher about it."

Classmate Matthew O'Connell agreed, saying: "I like it because if you have a problem you have someone to talk to." (MM)

(10-10-96)