What should a Mental Health Awareness Week school newsletter include?

Include a brief description of the week's theme and why the school is observing it, a day-by-day list of school activities and what students will experience, guidance for how families can continue the conversation at home, specific local and national resources families can access, and clear instructions for how to refer a student for counseling support. The newsletter should feel informative and warm, not clinical or alarming.

How should schools communicate about mental health in newsletters without stigmatizing students who need support?

Frame mental health as part of overall wellness, not as a problem category. Language like 'mental and emotional well-being' reads as more inclusive than language centered on disorder or illness. Normalize the idea that everyone has times when they need support, just as everyone has times when they need physical health care. Avoid framing counseling as something only students 'in crisis' access. The newsletter should signal that reaching out for support is a strength, not a sign of weakness.

What are age-appropriate ways for families to talk to their children about mental health?

For younger students, language around feelings and what to do when feelings are overwhelming is most accessible. 'How did you feel today?' is a better starting question than 'How is your mental health?' For middle and high school students, more direct conversations about stress, anxiety, sleep, and social connection are appropriate. The newsletter can include one or two specific conversation starters by grade band to give families a concrete entry point.

How should schools tell families how to refer a student for mental health support?

Name the steps explicitly: who to contact (counselor name, email, and phone), how to initiate a referral (email, phone call, online form), what happens after a referral is made (timeline, what the student experiences), and what families can do at home while waiting for an appointment. Many families who want help for their child do not reach out because the process is unclear. A specific, simple referral process communicated in the newsletter removes that barrier.

How does Daystage help schools communicate mental health resources to families?

Daystage lets school counselors and principals send Mental Health Awareness Week newsletters with embedded resource links that families can click directly without hunting for information. You can schedule the week's communication in advance, including a daily activity preview each morning of the week, and send targeted follow-up newsletters to families who open the resource links, signaling interest in the topic. All newsletters go out under the school's brand so families recognize and trust the source.

School Newsletter

Mental Health Awareness Week is an opportunity to do something that most school communication avoids: talk directly and honestly about the emotional lives of students. Done well, the week's newsletter sequence reduces stigma, connects families to resources they may not know exist, and signals that the school takes student well-being as seriously as academic performance.

This guide covers how to structure that communication, what language to use, how to include practical resources, and how to make the referral process easy enough that families actually use it.

Opening the conversation without alarming families

The tone of the Mental Health Awareness Week newsletter matters more than the specific content. A newsletter that leads with statistics about the youth mental health crisis will worry parents before they have read anything useful. A newsletter that opens with a clear, grounded statement about why mental health matters and what the school is doing about it sets a more productive tone.

Something like: "This week, [School Name] is observing Mental Health Awareness Week with a series of activities designed to help students build emotional resilience skills and know where to turn when they need support. Here is what your student will experience this week, and how you can continue the conversation at home." That framing is confident, practical, and non-alarming.

What students will experience this week

List the week's activities day by day. What topics are being covered in class or advisory? Are any outside speakers or counselors presenting? Is there a schoolwide activity families should know about? Are students being asked to do anything that families should be prepared to discuss at home?

Some mental health curriculum activities prompt students to reflect on personal experiences, which can surface conversations at home that parents are not expecting. A brief heads-up, "Today students reflected on times they have felt overwhelmed and what strategies help them. Your student may want to share what they discussed," helps families respond thoughtfully rather than being caught off guard.

How to talk with your child about mental health

Families who want to continue the conversation at home often do not know where to start. Giving them specific language removes the barrier.

For elementary-age students: "What's one feeling you had today?" or "What helps you feel better when something is hard?"
For middle school students: "What was the most stressful thing this week?" or "Is there anything you've been worried about lately?"
For high school students: "How are you doing, really?" or "What's been taking up the most mental energy lately?"

Note that listening without immediately offering solutions is often more valuable than having the right answer. A student who feels heard is more likely to continue the conversation.

Resources for families

Include a curated list of resources, not an exhaustive directory. Three to five well-chosen resources are more useful than a page of links most families will not click.

The school's counseling department contact (name, email, phone)
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
Your district's family mental health services page, if one exists
One age-appropriate resource for each school level you serve (a book recommendation, a website, a local program)

How to refer a student for support

Make the referral process as simple as possible to describe. Many families do not seek counseling support for their child because they do not know the steps. Write this section as a clear process: "If you are concerned about your student's emotional well-being, email [counselor name] at [email] or call [phone]. A counselor will follow up within one school day to schedule an initial check-in."

Note what the student will experience after a referral, so families are not worried about what happens next. If there are any privacy or confidentiality considerations, note them briefly. A clear, simple process removes the hesitation that prevents many families from reaching out when they should.

Warning signs for families to watch for at home

Include a brief section on behavioral changes that may signal a student needs additional support. Withdrawal from activities they previously enjoyed, significant changes in sleep or appetite, increasing irritability or sadness, declining grades, or expressed hopelessness are all signs worth taking seriously.

Frame this section as information, not diagnosis. The goal is to help families recognize when a normal tough week may be something that warrants a conversation with a school counselor, not to make parents feel anxious about every bad day.

Closing: what the school believes

End the newsletter with a clear statement of the school's position on mental health. Something direct: "We believe that emotional well-being is part of what makes learning possible. We take it seriously year-round, and Mental Health Awareness Week is one way we make that visible. If you ever have a concern about your student, our counseling team is here." A closing like that reinforces the message and gives families a clear invitation to reach out.

School Newsletter: Mental Health Awareness Week Communication