Freeport schools: a unique approach to mental wellness

The Freeport school district has instituted a range of programs and protocols to enhance mental wellness and ward off mental health problems among its student population, including calming rooms, wellness centers and awareness campaigns. Helen Kannelopolous, assistant superintendent for educational and administrative services, detailed some of the measures the district has taken over the past decade.

It has been three years since calming rooms were introduced in all eight of the school district’s buildings as a response to the growing awareness of students’ mental health challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic. The rooms were designed to provide a relaxed and safe environment for students to de-stress when feeling anxious or otherwise off-kilter.

They have proven so popular with students that the district has gone further, constructing full-fledged wellness centers in each school. The centers are larger than the calming rooms, and their staffs offer students additional support, teaching them coping skills and strategies to improve their mental well-being that include yoga poses and breathing techniques.

This initiative is part of a broader philosophy in the district of being proactive and focused on developing holistic wellness, to educate “the whole child.” Superintendent Kishore Kuncham says simply, “Without mental health there is no health.”

The Sky Breathing Program, implemented even before the introduction of the calming rooms, teaches students strategies for dealing with stress, in the interest of improving their overall wellness.

“They’ve heard about sky breathing since they were in kindergarten,” Kannelopolous said. “So to them, they’ve always heard about these strategies, and they’re incorporated into their daily routine … so I think the school has become a resource, a hub for our families. If you need something, we’re here to support you. And,” she added, referring to district parents, “we can give you the access and support that you may need in order to help your child.”

Freeport has also adopted the Sources of Strength curriculum, a research-based program focusing on positive sources of support. Kannelopolous highlighted how the curriculum, which defines eight sources of strength, promotes positive relationships, mental health and overall well-being. The program is integrated into the curriculum from elementary to high school.

“I can say that our mental health programs have had a significant impact on our students,” district social worker Stephanie Soto said. “It’s not just about addressing challenges — it’s about nurturing resilience, self-awareness, creating a supportive community, and laying the foundation for them to thrive emotionally and academically.”

In addition, having recognized the need for external support, the district has also forged a partnership with Northwell Hospital and four other school districts — Rockville Centre, East Rockaway, Oceanside, and Hewlett-Woodmere — to establish a Behavioral Health Center in Rockville Centre. The facility has a psychiatrist and a social worker on staff, and offers mental health services to school-aged children throughout all of Freeport

The center, which opened in January 2020, proved to be a vital resource during the pandemic, offering tele-health services to students working from home. “It’s not only us making referrals,” said Kannelopolous. “Anybody who lives in the area of Freeport” — provided they are school-aged — “is also able to go to this, walk in, and they’re open Monday through Friday.”

Kannelopolous also highlighted the success of the center, noting that it’s no longer necessary for a student suffering a mental health crisis to go to a hospital emergency room. The program has been so successful that the hospital is now opening health centers in other locations as well.

Kannelopolous emphasized the effectiveness of these initiatives by citing a significant increase in student utilization of calming rooms and the Health Center. By removing the stigma surrounding mental health, she said, the Freeport district has become a hub for families seeking resources and support.

The aim is to continue expanding its mental health initiatives, by completing the furnishing of its wellness centers and involving hiring additional staff, such as social workers, to enhance student support.

It is all part of a comprehensive strategy to address the mental health needs of the school community. As the district continues to evolve and expand its initiatives, it intends to remain a beacon of support for students navigating the complexities of mental health in their educational journey.