Not Your Father’s School

Due to massive tragedies in schools and a growing concern about how to adapt to social and health risk factors facing tweens and teens, a growing number of school districts are re-thinking their schedules, programs, staff and mission

A middle schooler at DeWitt Perry Middle School was unresponsive in class this month until staff helped save the youngster with Narcan, the opioid reversal medication, according to a report by the Dallas Morning News.

Incidents like these are cropping in major cities, small towns and in families that would tell you substance use or addiction is not something that would ever happen to them.

Many school districts are now changing their policies to reduce the chances a student will overdose and die. In Los Angeles, the schools there now allow students to carry Narcan after several teen opioid overdoses. In a poll of 1,368 school administrators nationally, 13% said they were considering such a policy last year but that number is now up to 23%

Addressing drug addiction is just one challenge for schools confronting a host of other health issues including bullying, social media usage and teen suicide risk. “It’s not a great time to be a school administrator, but it’s also the best time,” says Frank Florez, who is principal of a 450 student middle school in the midwest. “I think we have a real opportunity to help shape what schools can be - learning environments, places to learn how to be social, how to fail, how to find who you are - it just comes with tough times and sometimes tragedy.”

Many schools are now making major adjustments to address the changing dynamics of their students and the world around them:

-20% are contemplating moving to a 4-day week

-47% are considering a required all-school physical education block of 1 hour at the beginning of school

 -23% are considering investment in urgent care centers within the school grounds to address both basic health needs, testing, as well as psych counseling

-12% may use therapy dogs

-59% are now or will be offering mindfulness classes as part of the daily schedule

“It’s not your father’s school, that’s for sure,” says Florez.