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The importance of supporting school staff and students during COVID-19
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August 12, 2020Gwen Duet Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier
Gwen Duet, director of counseling at E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux, who is primarily responsible for the eighth grade class, says that parents want their children to be physically and psychologically secure while attending school.
Like many of the schools in the diocese most of the staff at the high school worked through the summer months. “We have to take care of ourselves. Here at E.D. White we recommended that the faculty take time to self-assess. We all have to tend to our psychological well-being, our physical, emotional and spiritual selves. We have to remain healthy in all areas.”
Duet says that the students’ well-being is also of utmost importance, especially in the early weeks of the school reopening. “We will be monitoring the students stress and anxiety levels, and have put in place a needs assessment to find out exactly what are our students’ needs. We want to have the social and emotional piece in place so that we can provide our students with the best services possible. We want to help them meet their potential.”
Realizing that it may be a struggle for some students to get back into the swing of things when school begins, counseling will be available through the school counselor for solution based, short-term counseling and referrals for long-term professional counseling if necessary.