Teens and Technology

Episcopal’s 2020-2023 primary focus was to explore the appropriate use of technology and offer real life strategies for managing it more productively. ESJ’s Student Services Department identified social media and technology as key contributors to student anxiety levels and teachers incorporated technology in the classroom without losing connection to students and each other. We were interested in inclusive conversations with students about the importance of technology in their lives. We utilized a $150K three-year grant received from the Winston Family Foundation on Technology and Teenagers to facilitate our work. In addition, in 2022-2023 grades six through nine participated in The Social Institute's (TSI) grade specific social media curriculum.  The Social Institute curriculum, #WinAtSocial, was taught in Technology classes, Advisory, and Freshman Seminar.

 

Respect the Dignity of Every Human Being

"Respect the Dignity of Every Human Being" is Episcopal's 2020-2021 Health, Safety, and Well-Being (HSW) theme.

ESJ's first student Heath, Safety, and Well-Being (HSW) event of the 2020 year focused Gratitude.

The second event, in January 2021, focused on Joy.

Protect Your Health

"Protect Your Health" was Episcopal's 2019-2020 Health, Safety, and Well-Being (HSW) theme.

ESJ's first student Heath, Safety, and Well-Being (HSW) event of the 2019-2020 year was September 12 and focused on mental health and suicide prevention. Two guest speakers addressed students. Dr. Elise Fallucco, Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UF Health Department of Psychiatry, addressed Middle School students about anxiety, depression, and coping strategies which promote mental health.

Dennis Gillan, mental health advocate and professional speaker, shared his personal message about the importance of suicide prevention and awareness with Upper School students. Mr. Gillan also held a parent session in the afternoon.

In addition, stationary bicycles were installed on ESJ's Kirwan Flag Plaza so students, faculty, and staff could log miles to support Cycle Around the Globe. Faculty, staff, and students were encouraged to ride a few minutes each day as a way to tangibly connect to the need for suicide prevention and awareness around the world.

Episcopal thanks Open Road Bicycles and Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida for providing the bicycles and installation. The ESJ community logged more than 400 miles in two days!

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Baptist Health Speaker Series

Episcopal partnered with Baptist Health to bring four experts in their field to talk with students and parents about issues affecting adolescents, including healthy eating, drugs and alcohol, vaping, mental health, anxiety, stress, and the influences of social media.

Physical Health and Nutrition

The Physical Health and Nutrition event covered specific ways that physical and emotional well-being are dependent on one-another and recursive; how to incorporate high-impact healthier choices in to our day-to-day lives; understanding common barriers to eating healthy and being physically active; and how to seek professional help with taking care of physical and emotional health needs.

Karla Repper, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with expertise in assessing and treating mental health conditions across the lifespan. She has specialized training in the assessment of emotional and behavioral functioning, cognitive development, and treatment of child and adolescent conditions. Dr. Repper follows a "scientist-practitioner" model, and utilizes therapies that research shows to be most effective. Cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, exposure and response prevention, dialectical behavioral therapy, and parent training on behavioral interventions are some of her most-often used therapeutic methods.

Stress, Anxiety, and Coping Skills

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions affecting youth today. This forum aimed to identify the prevalence of anxiety among youth, red flags for when anxiety is shifting to an unhealthy level, and concrete strategies on how to effectively manage anxiety and promote brave behavior.

Aubrey Brown, LCSW currently works in the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). Aubrey has worked within the Baptist Health System for 10 years, and has previously worked in Adult Behavioral Health, Adult Neurosurgery, and in the Emergency Department. She started her career in behavioral health in 2008, after graduating from Florida State University with her Bachelor and Master degrees in Social Work. Aubrey has completed an intensive DBT training and continues to further her education in the treatment of adolescents. She has a particular interest in the prevention and treatment of chronic suicidality, self-injurious behaviors, and mood disorders. Aubrey is passionate about encouraging adolescents to talk about how they feel, what they think, and identify healthy ways to cope with life.

Dr. Stephanie Kinnare currently serves as a psychologist for Baptist Health at Wolfson Children’s Center for Behavioral Health. Dr. Kinnare specializes in working with children and adolescents, and treats a variety of psychological conditions, with particular emphasis on anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, grief/bereavement, coping with medical illness, and school-related stresses. Prior to her current role with Baptist Health, Dr. Kinnare served as clinical faculty and lead psychologist within the Division of Developmental Pediatrics for the University of Florida, College of Medicine, Jacksonville. There, she conducted psychological testing, supervised a counseling internship program, and consulted with school districts on classroom strategies for addressing mental health needs in students. Dr. Kinnare received her B.A. in Psychology from Bucknell University and received both her M.S. and Ph.D. in School Psychology from Oklahoma State University.

Influence & Effects of Social Media and Screen Time

The presentation addressed screen time recommendations, the impact of social media and screen time on sleep, stress, behavior, and physical health, as well as the dangers of comparison via social media, gaming, and internet addiction. Resources and tips for parents regarding screen time and social media were offered.

Raj Loungani, MD, MPH, specializes in Psychiatry and subspecializes in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, with a mission to serve children, teenagers, and adults by providing experienced, compassionate, individualized, and holistic (utilizing an integrative biological-psychological-social approach) psychiatric care that helps his patients and their families not only diminish emotional, thought, and behavioral difficulties, but to achieve maximal well-being.

De’Von Patterson, PhD is a licensed psychologist and National Register Health Service Psychologist. He has had training experiences with children and adults in a variety of settings. Dr. Patterson's typical day may range from helping a parent with managing their child's behavior to helping an adult adjust to career changes.

High Risk Behavior/Substance Abuse and Vaping

Michael Wolf, BSN, RN-BC currently serves as the nurse manager for the Pediatric Behavioral Health Inpatient Unit and the Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.  Michael was previously the assistant nurse manager for five years for the Adult Behavioral Health Inpatient Unit at Baptist Health.

Michael is a seasoned and compassionate psychiatric nurse with 17+ years of diverse clinical nursing and progressive leadership experience and he brings with him a wealth of combined adult and pediatric inpatient psychiatric nursing experience to the nurse manager role. 

In 2000, he started his nursing career as staff nurse in the ED at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and transitioned to acute psychiatry in 2004 working as charge nurse in the adolescent and adult inpatient behavioral health units at MHRC and UF-Health Jacksonville before joining Baptist.

Michael obtained his BSN from Florida State College at Jacksonville and he’s currently pursuing his MSN at Jacksonville University. He is an ANCC-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse who is actively involved in various system-wide performance/quality improvement and evidence-based projects, multidisciplinary committees, and Magnet initiatives representing behavioral health nursing across Baptist Health. As an active community volunteer for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), Michael serves as a family-to-family peer program instructor educating and assisting vulnerable families and their children afflicted with mental disorders.