On May 12, NJSBA held an informative half-day program that discussed how students of all ages are reporting increased levels of stress due to the pressures of academic performance, and what schools can do to help students cope with these pressures. The program was held at Union County College.
Dr. Maurice Elias, Rutgers University director of clinical training; director of the Social & Emotional Learning Laboratory at Rutgers; and director of the RU Center for Community-Based Research, Service and Public Scholarship.
Lee McDonald, K-12 director of guidance in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District, spoke about academic pressure experienced by students in his high-achieving district, and steps the district, students and community are taking to address it.
Dr. Michael Carrigan, senior trainer at the Center for Supportive Schools, in Princeton, got the audience moving at the Pressure of Perfection training session. Here, participants are taking part in an exercise on leadership styles.