School attendance: Why mental health and screen time are keys
To improve student well-being and get them excited about coming to school, we must address two critical areas: mental health and screen time. School attendance matters. Students who show up regularly are more likely to excel academically, graduate on time, and develop essential social and emotional skills. Yet, chronic absenteeism remains a nationwide issue. From what I’ve seen as a therapist and school counselor, students who avoid school aren’t doing so because they don’t want to learn; they’re young people often struggling with anxiety and a lack of belonging, which triggers a negative response to school, decreased motivation, and sometimes [...]