Additional Opportunities
Participate in the Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative (GSSI)
As a PTA leader, you are also well-positioned to help your school become part of the Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative (GSSI), which seeks to better equip teachers to care for grieving students by introducing GrievingStudents.org and other valuable grief resources to local schools at no cost.
You will already be doing some of this work by participating in the PTA Healthy Minds program, so why not look into taking it a step further? Go here to learn more about the process of becoming a grief-sensitive school. Have questions? Email nylfoundation@newyorklife.com.
Advocate for Change
In the context of PTA, advocacy is supporting and speaking up for children and youth—in schools, in communities and before government bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting students. In the context of mental health, a top priority in our advocacy work is to make sure schools create a welcoming, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students. Every student can reach their full potential when the school environment is one in which they are accepted, truly valued and can authentically be themselves. PTA firmly believes that all students—including students from historically marginalized communities—have the right to a high-quality, equitable education in a welcoming, supportive and inclusive school.
PTA advocates for policies and legislation that ensure equity for every student, promote a positive school climate and support the whole child and family to prepare all students with social and emotional skills to succeed in adulthood. To get involved in our mental health advocacy work and the many other issues facing our children and youth today, you can visit PTA.org/Advocacy or text PTA to 50457 to take action.