GHAPS
Kristin Perkowski, GHAPS Superintendent
The Anxious Generation - all of the Ottawa County Superintendents are reading and discussing this book and the negative mental health effects Gen Z experiences (the kids born after 1995). It talks about the transformation of play of children and how it went from actual playing to behind the screen. The four action items the book asks leaders to do: no phones before high school, no social media before 16, phone free schools, and far more unsupervised play.
Tracy Wilson talked about the high school and how they are fighting this battle- creating a mental health screen committee, no backpacks or cell phones in class rooms, and sharing strategies about how to teach kids to manage their time with their phones.
Elizabeth Gervais, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Co-Coordinator- she works with staff to ensure expectations are clearly communicated and reinforced. For instance, there are caddies that phones go in as they enter a classroom. She also works on activites to keep kids engaged at lunch and other times.
Angie Prieditis, GHHS Counselor - They deal with anxiety with cell phones all the time - usually pictures of kids that other kids use to bully. They like the rules that are in effect but at least they know what the rules are.
Colton Rogers, a senior at GHHS, talked about the no phone ban. He does appreciate that he can focus on his classes and studying which he can pay attention to his grades. It helps with group projects as they can keep their focus. This great young man had an incident on snapchat and it led him to stress and anxiety.
Mary Jane Evink - Director of Instructional Services - her job is to keep people learning and she needs to have kids ready to learn in school. Technology isn't going to go away so we need to teach and model the right behaviors. Teens on their phones more than 3 hours a day are twice as likely to have mental health issues. Suggestions are to never be on the phone alone, live by our own rules, not have phones at meals, teach the kids about the 3 hours, encourage play away from devices, report cyberbulling, and work with other parents in your social circle that you have the same rules.
Watch the netflix movie the Social Dilemma. It shows how platforms target uses and has gone unregulated. Kristin knows how much work there is to do and is looking for solutions.
Service Above Self
Grand Haven, MI 49417
United States of America