How does a community support a more balanced, fulfilling and mentally healthy path to success for its students?
That question was central during Superintendent Dr. Jason McKinnon’s annual book club as teachers and parents gathered on Oct. 29 in the Library Learning Commons at Joel Barlow High School. They were there to discuss “Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About it” by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. The book investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture and how people can take action and fight back.
Discussions on the pressures of achievement culture and its effects on students’ mental health, self-worth and relationships were led by McKinnon and Assistant Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo.
“As educators, we have a responsibility to foster environments where students feel valued beyond just their achievements,” said DiCorpo in a press release.
Sunny Michelle Paciello, a kindergarten teacher at Samuel Staples Elementary School, said the book discussion was an excellent opportunity for the Tri-District to come together and discuss positive ways to promote community mental health.
“‘Never Enough’ was a perfect read for parents, teachers, and administrators,” said Paciello. “The room was filled with adults genuinely caring about students’ social-emotional well-being in the Easton, Redding and Tri-District schools.”
According to the book’s website, Wallace investigates “the deep roots of toxic achievement culture, and finds out what we must do to fight back. Drawing on interviews with families, educators, and an original survey of nearly 6,000 parents, she exposes how the pressure to perform is not a matter of parental choice but baked in to our larger society and spurred by increasing income inequality and dwindling opportunities. As a result, children are increasingly absorbing the message that they have no value outside of their accomplishments, a message that is reinforced by the media and greater culture at large.”
Several teachers and parents shared concerns related to the negative effects PowerSchool can have on students. PowerSchool is an online portal that is designed to help consolidate all of the materials a student might need, including communications from the teacher, their work and their grades. Students frequently check PowerSchool, which can lead to heightened stress levels concerning their academic success.
“Success isn’t simply a grade or a performance metric in PowerSchool. Technology shapes relationships, and it’s essential that we use these tools thoughtfully to help students find a healthy balance between achievement and well-being,” stated Assistant Superintendent Sara Scrofani in a press release.
Building on last year’s book club discussion of “How to Know a Person” by David Brooks, McKinnon’s Book Club aims to build bridges between school leadership, educators, families, and the larger community by tackling pressing topics relevant to student success and wellness.
Future book club events will continue to engage community members in meaningful conversations to support students’ growth in and beyond the classroom. The event is annual, so interested parties should stay on the lookout for announcements about next year’s event.
