OLATHE, Kan. — Family members of Olathe East High School students are eager to see what comes from the school district's safety town hall Tuesday.
Kathryn Carpenter, whose 16-year-old grand daughter, Kiley Carpenter, is a sophomore at the school, said she hopes there is a lot of focus on mental health resources for students.
"When those kids hit that front door, I don't think anyone is aware of what they've left just walking into that school," Carpenter said.
Carpenter says she hopes the district will put more resources into educating students on mental health issues. She also hopes the district will focus more on helping students work through the challenges of the pandemic that may be causing traumas at home.
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"I was brought up that you kept things at home, you didn't bring it in, but you know what, you really do bring it in when you're going through a turmoil, and even though this is Johnson County, I can't guarantee everyone is on the same level of mom and dad and two incomes, and everything is normal," Carpenter said.
A spokesperson for the district said it offers a wide variety of mental health resources for students and families, including free school counselors and student wellness advocates and other licensed therapists with fee-based services or scholarships available.
