Covid-19 has had various effects on students, especially within the Lindbergh High School community. Students struggle with continuing school and extracurricular activities with the addition of a global pandemic taking away certain opportunities. 

At LHS, Covid is being taken very seriously. The plan currently put in place is that masks must be worn at all times by students and staff, whereas social distancing is still at least 3 feet apart. The district is working to make students feel safe and secure while providing outlets for students who are struggling with mental health issues.

The staff at LHS is also working to make Lindbergh a safe and welcoming place for all students. “Students have had a difficult time learning how to be back in school and manage class, homework, and other activities they are a part of,” said Tricia Hayes. Mrs. Hayes is one of the many well-trained counselors at LHS. She deals with students that are struggling with mental health. Hayes said Covid has definitely been affecting students’ mental health, “We have seen an increase in mental health issues in students since Covid began.” 

In his role as main principal, Dr. Cochran works closely with the students and staff to make sure that Lindbergh is a safe community for those who are struggling. “We partner with a lot of outside organizations to provide additional support. Some of these are meetings that take place regularly on our campus while others are those in which we might send a student for help outside of the building,” said Dr. Cochran while preceding to mention the importance of students and their safety when at school.

There are many outlets at LHS for students who are struggling with mental health, especially with the increased number of  Covid cases. Outlets include clubs such as CHADS, a club offered at LHS exclusively focusing on mental health with students. Elizabeth Diester, the head of CHADS stated, “CHADS is an excellent place to learn about ways to deal with and learn about depression, anxiety, and mental health,” In CHADS, students learn different coping mechanisms to help them when they are struggling mentally and emotionally. Certain events are also held to help students outside of school such as Distress Day and others. Distress Day is an opportunity for students to relax after school and be able to be calm. Ms. Diester says, “Destress Day is to help students relax during stressful times.”

Now with technology, ensuring the safety of students has never been easier according to Dr. Cochran. “Technology has also been a tremendous help. Our Securly program helps us to identify students who might be struggling.” Securly is a program used by LHS that can look onto students’ computers and see what they are doing. Not only can Securly be used by administrators, but by teachers as well. Since not many students are going to admit the problems they’re struggling with, administrators and staff use Securly as a resource to help keep track of these students. Students will also get a notification when Securly is in use.

LHS is a community working daily to make sure students don’t feel alone during this difficult time. If help is ever needed, the counseling doors are always open and ready to help.