Secretary of Education highlights mental health care during Annapolis High visit

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona attended Annapolis High School Tuesday to highlight what Anne Arundel County Public Schools are doing to take care of student’s mental health.

Cardona, who came with Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Anne Arundel County, and Superintendent Mark Bedell, participated in a round table with teachers, counselors and students.

“As a father of a high school senior and with a sophomore in college, I recognize the impact of the pandemic and the urgency to do more in this country,” said Cardona. “So I’m committed today to listening to get ideas and taking notes to take back to the Department of Education.”

Cardona started with a seemingly simple question, “How are the children?”

Mary Kay Connerton, 2023 Maryland teacher of the year and a wellness coordinator at Annapolis High, said, “I will say that I think we need to teach our children at the schoolhouse how to take care of themselves and their whole body, mind and spirit. Depending on who the student is, overall there is a major concern and there’s major struggle.”

Akil Legget Jr., a senior at Annapolis High School, referencing a mural in the school that reads, “If the student is not embraced by the village, they will burn it down and feel its warmth,” said, “I think students are burning down their village to feel the warmth. I think that this is the perfect time to increase the supports and build/rebuild the villages to ensure that all students, regardless of background, regardless if they are “left behind” and things of that nature, are to be embraced and to feel the warmth naturally.”

Not just students need help coping, said Brenda Galvez, a junior at Annapolis High School, but teachers and parents too.

“Even though we are focusing right now on providing mental health for students, and that’s great, I feel like teachers have such a great impact on students so teachers should be aware of how to help themselves better too,” said Galvez.

Mental health isn’t just about checking if students are OK, she added. She then pointed to other ways mental health is fostered at the school.

Jessica Jackson is a bilingual guidance counselor and alumna of Annapolis High School who has only been in America for two years and noted how difficult the transition has been.

“I feel like this school provides a lot of mental health services, especially for those that could be left behind or overseen,” she said.

Cardona took notes and cracked jokes while maintaining the seriousness of the topic.

“I think its critically important that we ensure our students see themselves in our future,” said Cardona, who noted that legislation like 2022’s Safer Communities Act provides $2 billion to increase the number of social workers. “We are only as well as our least well child.”