During Children's Mental Health Week, the Kenora Catholic District School Board is proud to recognize the important work of our dedicated Mental Health Team and the difference they make in the lives of students each day.
Across all KCDSB schools, mental health support is built on a simple and steady approach: be present, build relationships, and ensure every student has access to the support they need to succeed.
Dr. Michael Ungar with the KCDSB Mental Health Team during a recent professional learning session.
Supporting Every Student
The KCDSB Mental Health Team provides a range of supports focused on promotion, prevention, and early intervention. This includes:
- Classroom-based mental health learning
- Targeted supports for students who may be at risk
- Individual services to help address concerns early
The goal is to respond early and prevent small struggles from becoming bigger challenges.
The team also works closely with families, connecting them to the right support at the right time. Through a "no wrong door" approach, families can feel confident that they will be guided to the services they need.
A Focus on Prevention and Connection
This school year, the Mental Health Team has focused on strengthening student and family engagement, building system-wide capacity, and enhancing prevention and early intervention supports.
As Sue Devlin, Mental Health Clinical Supervisor, explains:
"Our work is grounded in making sure students and families can access the right support at the right time. We focus on prevention and early intervention so that small struggles don't grow into bigger challenges, and we walk alongside students and families to find what works best for them."
Schools play a key role in this work. With students spending much of their day in school, there is a unique opportunity to provide:
- Safe and welcoming environments
- Caring, trusted adults
- Access to supports and resources
- Skills to manage stress and build resilience
These everyday conditions help students feel connected and supported, setting a strong foundation for success.
Strengthening the Environment Around Students
A key area of growth this year has been the team's continued work with Dr. Michael Ungar, which has helped shift thinking across the system.
This approach moves away from focusing only on individual students and instead strengthens the environments around them. It recognizes that resilience is shaped by relationships, school climate, access to supports, and opportunities for students to feel a sense of belonging.
In practice, this means creating schools where students experience:
- Consistent relationships with caring adults
- Inclusive and responsive learning environments
- Coordinated mental health supports
- Opportunities to feel valued and heard
This shared approach brings educators, families, and mental health professionals together to support student well-being in meaningful and lasting ways.
Reaching Every Student
One of the team's proudest accomplishments this year has been reaching every student across KCDSB schools through programming aligned with Erin's Law.
This work helps ensure that students are equipped with age-appropriate knowledge and skills to support their personal safety and well-being.
In partnership with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, KCDSB continues to provide resources and learning that support students, staff, and families in understanding prevention and reporting.
Working in Partnership with Families
At the heart of the team's work is a strong belief that students and families are partners in care.
Supports are built around listening, understanding, and working together to find the right path forward. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, the team works alongside students and families to:
- Identify strengths
- Remove barriers
- Build supports that reflect each unique situation
This collaborative approach helps ensure that supports are meaningful, respectful, and effective.
You Are Not Alone
During Children's Mental Health Week, the KCDSB Mental Health Team shares an important message with students and families:
You are not alone. Everyone experiences challenges, and it is okay to ask for help. Reaching out is a positive step, and support is available.
The team is here to listen, walk alongside students and families, and help connect them to the support they need.
Together, we continue to build schools where every student feels safe, supported, and ready to succeed.
