School of Education Hosts Panel on Mental Well-Being in Schools
Pictured from left to right are Mercy University Education faculty Aki Ohseki, Elena Nitecki, Roseanne Vallice Levy, Jennifer San Diego and Ahmed Almadami.
On October 24, the Mercy University School of Education hosted a panel, Voices from the Field: Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Our Schools. The event brought together over 60 Pre-K-12 educators, principals, administrators, as well as Mercy University Education faculty and graduate students, addressing urgent mental health needs in Pre-K-12 education.
The event was co-sponsored by two grants: the U.S. Department of Education Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program GRAD-PRO Grant and the BranchED Grant, both providing financial support for various projects and initiatives aimed at meeting schools’ needs.
The purpose of the event was to cultivate discussions about one of the most pressing issues in schools today: mental well-being and issues of mental health, which have been on the rise since the pandemic. The panel featured experts from our partner schools in the New York City metropolitan area with speakers including Elizabeth Heilakka, therapeutic support teacher in the Bronx; Nicole A. Tine, NYC principal; Danielle Moore, a social workers with New York City Public Schools; and Julie Bucci, elementary school teacher in Ossining. Dr. Teresa Quackenbush, professor in the Mercy’s Childhood Education Department, served as moderator, facilitating the discussion on prevalent mental health challenges in schools today, interventions strategies, community connections and what schools and colleges can do to partner more effectively to address these serious challenges.
“This panel brought to light so many critical issues facing our schools, students and families today. Our hope is that continuing collaboration with our partner schools and a little grant support can make a difference,” said Dr. Elena Nitecki, professor in Childhood Education and principal investigator for the GRAD-PRO Grant.
Dr. Roseanne Vallice Levy, assistant professor in secondary education and co-principal investigator of the BranchED Grant, added, “Tonight’s event provided us with the opportunity to gather as a community and discuss mental well-being and issues of mental health within our K-12 schools in a safe space. Our panelists and attendees contributed greatly to these important conversations.”
The participants in attendance represented multiple districts in the Bronx and Westchester County, including full-time faculty and adjuncts from the Mercy School of Education, many of whom work in schools as teachers and administrators. Graduate students in attendance included the inaugural cohort of the “Education Scholars,” a two-year, grant-funded fellowship led by Dr. Aki Ohseki, from the Childhood Education Department. The program offers mentorship and advanced professional development to Mercy graduates, aiming to improve teacher preparation and produce effective educators equipped to handle the challenges of tomorrow’s schools.
Learn more about Mercy University’s School of Education and the GRAD-PRO Grant.