Dedicated approach to mental, emotional health supports Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools students at all ages

This paid piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

They see her from the time they begin kindergarten.

In their classrooms. On lunch or recess duty. With small groups of other kids. And, if needed, for one-on-one time.

The idea is that Paige Anderson becomes a normal, expected, everyday presence in the lives of kids at Holy Spirit Elementary. By doing so, her role as a school counselor becomes normalized for them.

“The normalization is what I really stress,” said Anderson, who is beginning her fourth year at the school and is a full-time counselor there.

“The education kids are getting about mental and emotional health is going to help them be more likely to reach out for help and not feel shame or guilt around it. They’ve heard since kindergarten this is how we cope and how we ask for help.”

The emphasis on social emotional learning for students beginning in elementary school sets the stage for years of supporting their needs through high school at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

Anderson, who has worked in the field for more than a decade, said she has seen a clear difference in how the schools focus on providing students the resources they need.

“Because I’m able to be here full time, it’s huge. I have those relationships with the kids, and even now at the start of the school year, they’re coming in and getting help right away,” she said.

“I have stronger interaction with the kids than most counselors get the opportunity to do. I get to do lunch and recess duty, and form those good relationships because the kids see me and I’m around. In many schools, counselors would not get to go into the classrooms regularly. It’s amazing we get to do that.”

She goes into kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms every other week with a 30- to 40-minute lesson.

“We work on problem-solving skills, emotion management, social skills, career exploration, personal safety, and we introduce more concepts as they get older,” Anderson said. “But the big ones we focus on throughout are emotion management and problem-solving through peer conflict management, communication skills, friendship skills and cooperation.”

Elementary students also can meet in small groups to work further on any skills needed to help them be more successful at school. Anderson provides individual counseling to students throughout the school year. These one-on-one visits can be requested by students, teachers or parents.

“Meetings with parents and teachers are also important because it allows us to collaborate on a plan to help students be successful at school,” she said.

Common issues she’s seeing in younger kids include anxiety and worry.

“And that manifests differently than in adults,” she said. “We have more complaints of tummy aches and headaches, and we see worry from the standpoint of doing well in school and making friends and maintaining relationships. I see a lot of conflicts that arise in friendships. And we work on those skills to help them navigate conflict.”

Part of the role Anderson and other elementary counselors play is preparing their students to advance to O’Gorman Junior High, where counselor Sara Jarding is waiting to work with them further.

“I really appreciate the work they do to set them up in elementary school. They’re talking about problem-solving and conflict management and teaching social skills. With knowledge of those things, it gives them a great foundation to build on.” Jarding said. “And here, at this stage, it’s super cool for me to see the amount of growth that can occur in just two years.”

Kids in middle school are more inclined to open up in one-on-one sessions, so that’s Jarding’s primary area of focus.

“Probably the biggest thing we work on is organization. They’re moving from teacher to teacher and have a locker for the first time, and that can be a scary thing,” she said. “And we see anxiety because of all the changes that are happening. It can be a scary time for some kids.”

Jarding also works with students coming to the school from outside of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and those who might not be as used to the system’s academic standard.

“In some cases, they’ve never had homework before, so we help work through some of those anxieties, or they very much want to fit in, so I might help them make friends,” she said. “If they’re not able to name friends, I know we have a problem, so I’ll learn their hobbies and am able to help them find others like them.”

She also talks with students about preparing themselves for high school post-secondary education, becoming involved in school activities and self-care – from nutrition to making sure they get enough sleep and are limiting screen time.

“That can negatively impact kids’ mental health,” she said. “Social media is everyone else’s highlight reel, and it’s not good for kids who just want to fit in and belong to see all these people’s best days.”

Jarding has spent a decade in the mental and emotional health field, including in Arizona and Nebraska, and said the opportunity she has to work with her 330 junior high students stands out.

“In other states I worked, I would have been one person serving upwards of 800 kids,” she said. “And here at O’Gorman Junior High, it’s unique, not just for the individual attention, but because there’s such a sense of community where people know and care about each other.”

That extends through high school, where students are supported by three full-time counselors.

Both Anderson and Jarding point to their own bonds in the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community for enhancing their experience in the schools. Anderson’s husband, Alex, is the assistant principal at O’Gorman High School, and Jarding’s husband, Mark, is an O’Gorman High School graduate.

“I really wanted to be part of the Catholic school community, and we definitely have the opportunity here to be more present with the kids and get to know them,” Anderson said. “They know I work with everyone. I have relationships with all of them. And that makes a huge difference when it comes to normalizing talking to a counselor.”

She also gets to bring her 4-year-old son to work with her as he attends Holy Spirit preschool.

For Jarding, Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools is a multigenerational fit for her family.

“For my husband, O’Gorman planted seeds that really made him who he is today. And now as a mom of five, my kids are going through St. Michael Elementary, and I appreciate how they’re shown the faith daily,” she said.

“The ability to use faith and help kids walk through life with prayer and hope has been great. I’m so appreciative of this community and the support we give and receive.”

To learn more about becoming part of the Bishop O’Gorman Schools community, click here.