ICON School Blog

Mental Illness Awareness Week

Oct 7-13 is Mental Illness Awareness Week, so we wanted to take a moment to discuss the impact mental health can have on a student's ability to perform and participate at school. A number of ICON students have faced their own mental health issues and found they are much more successful in the online school environment.

MENTAL HEALTH AND SCHOOL: THE INVISIBLE ILLNESS

A devastating and largely silent epidemic is sweeping America’s schools. Today, 1 in 5 children have emotional, behavioral or mental health disorders. Despite their numbers, an astounding 80% of them will go without the mental health support and care they need. Unsurprisingly, these staggering numbers mean many children fall behind or drop out of school because of their seemingly insurmountable mental health challenges.

Long after we finish our years of schooling, we all have that distinct feeling when Fall rolls around that it’s time for another year of learning and new beginnings. There is an excitement in the air as kids start buying school supplies, the weather starts cooling down, and crisp leaves are begging to be crunched.

Listen: The Top 10 Types of Students Who Choose ICON 

Listen time: 8 minutes 30 seconds

At Idaho Connects Online School, we recognize that every Idaho student is unique. Some students use ICON to complete basic courses in a safe, quiet environment free from distraction—and some of these students even shoot for an accelerated approach to graduation.

Here at ICON, we understand that our school’s structure may be confusing or unfamiliar to many people. Maybe you’ve been wondering if online high school is right for you or your student, but aren’t sure of how it all works. Good news: We have the frequently asked questions all answered for you in this post.

Winter break is quickly approaching, and not long after students return to school from break, the first semester for most Idaho schools will come to an end. This is a natural time for families to consider transferring their child to a new school. Whether because of a move, economic circumstances, or to find a better educational fit for the child, it’s not uncommon to see a mid-year switch.

The tragic stories show up in the news too often: students who are driven to suicide because of bullying. Whenever this happens, there's an understandable wave of emotion from community members. How could this have happened? We never saw it coming.

For the past week, students across Idaho have been heading back to school. For many of these Idaho students, this involves walking through the doors of a traditional brick and mortar middle school or high school like their parents did before them. But the world has changed significantly since the parents of today's students attended middle school and high school. Today, a curious mind can learn anything with the help of the internet—and even complete schooling and receive diplomas, certificates, and degrees.