Page 4 THE REVERE ADVOCATE–Friday, October 4 , 2019 RPS MCAS | FROM PAGE 1 score for the English Language Arts test was 499.7; for Mathematics it was 495.1, and for Science it was 497.3. Grade six achieved very similar scores, with an average of 497 in English Language Arts and 494.4 in Mathematics. Grade seven received an average score of 495.6 in English Language Arts and 493.3 in Mathematics, while grade eight received an average score of 495.9 in English Language Arts, 495.8 in Mathematics and 493.3 in Science. Finally, for grade ten, the only grade in high school required to take the test, students received an average score of 499.1 in English Language Arts and 499.3 in Mathematics. The MCAS has been distributed annually for the past 26-years. It was developed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a response to the Education Reform Act of 1993, which called for dramatic changes in public education over the course of seven years. Many students find themselves anxious over this test, with parents wondering how to best prepare their children. Carol Tye, a former Superintendent and English teacher and current member of the Revere School Committee, says there are steps to take at home to alleviate this worry. “Get a good night’s sleep the night before, have a good breakfast and try and stay as calm as possible,” she said. “We say if you do your work all year long and do the best you can throughout the school year, you’ll be absolutely fine.” For a more in-depth look at the Revere Public School’s MCAS results, or for questions about the test, you can visit www.doe.mass.edu. A graph depicts the MCAS results for grade three. ~ OP-ED ~ Our children are crying out for help; why don’t we hear them? By Anthony D’Ambrosio W hile it should be common sense that good mental health is critical to a child’s success in school and life, we, as a community, need to do better for our children. Let me be clear and speak plainly, America’s youth, and Revere’s youth, are in the midst of a mental health crisis. The explosion of snapchat, twitter, and Facebook have dramatically changed the way our children are growing up today. They can no longer come home after school and shut out the negative influences of the day. Their smart phones and laptops ensure that they are wired in 24/7. The resulting data is startling. According to research done by the US Department of Health and Human Services, major depression among teenagers has surged 69 percent over the past 10 years; one out of every five girls experiences major depression. The suicide rate among 18 year olds has increased by a whopping 56 percent since 2008. The situation is even worse for younger children. Pediatric hospitals have determined that admissions of children ages five to 17 for suicidal ideation have more than doubled over the past decade. Here in Revere the statistics are similar. And anecdotally, we all know friends and family who suffer from depression and other related illnesses. While I understand that childhood depression and related mental health issues are complex, I don’t understand why we aren’t all discussing this awful crisis more during this political season. Yes, tax rates, congestion, and development are all important issues, but isn’t the health and well-being of our children just as important? Isn’t the health of a community inextricably linked to the health and treatment of its children? As a united City, Revere needs to do better. While it is difficult to determine the exact causes behind such spiking numbers, social media bullying, spotty mental health screening, and inadequate medical access are surely contributing factors. Regardless, more can be done to help our youth. Our schools provide a unique opportunity to identify and treat mental health conditions by serving students where they already are and at an age when the biggest difference can be made. Well trained school personnel play an essential role in identifying the early warning signs of emerging mental health conditions and in linking students and families with effective services and supports. Our caring and committed teachers are at the forefront of this crisis. We must support them in their efforts to combat mental health issues. After understanding the crucial position that Revere Public Schools have in this crisis, we need to reexamine and redouble our efforts at assisting children. I believe in the creation of a system-wide, true “ombudsman’s program” to support children struggling with mental health issues. The new program will: • Re-prioritize our resources and begin by increasing awareness of this difficult issue. Many of our students are afraid to seek help because they fear ridicule from their peers. We need to change the culture surrounding this issue in our schools. We must shatter the societal stigma that is too often attached to depression and other mental health issues. We are all God’s children with different strengths and abilities. Revere Public schools must take the lead in raising awareness on this issue; • Increase training of school faculty and staff on the early warning signs of mental health issues and how to connect our students to mental health professionals; and OP-ED | SEE PAGE 13
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