With hopelessness among students at all-time highs, providing more peaceful learning environments is a top concern. Hiring a full-time chaplain trained and certified by the National School Chaplain Association (NSCA) (405-831-3299) can make your campus safer and healthier and provide needed youth development for students.
Throughout history, chaplains have helped foster more cohesive communities, encouraging safer, more robust learning environments, and providing needed counsel to youth and adults.
Make your campus safer by hiring a full-time NSCA-trained and certified school chaplain! Go to https://www.nationalschoolchaplainassociation.org/your-school
The Benefits Of School Chaplains
The NSCA wants to encourage the faculty and leadership in Lubbock schools to consider the proven success rates of school chaplains over the years. As the organization explains, schools incorporating NSCA-certified chaplains have reported lower absenteeism, higher employee productivity, and safer learning environments.
Participating schools also report improved teacher retention as chaplains help mitigate educator burnout and provide crucial counsel for faculty to protect their mental and emotional health. Lower rates of anxiety and depression for students is another reported benefit of NSCA's school chaplaincy.
NSCA's Proven System
The NSCA uses a 5-point process for onboarding and maintaining successful school chaplaincy, beginning with an onsite introductory orientation in which your faculty and staff can learn about the new benefits available. "This is the first step towards building a relationship centered on trust and authenticity," says the organization.
Faculty and staff members are also welcome to meet with your school's chaplain throughout the year in voluntary, confidential visits to discuss concerns or anything they need to share.
Another key element of the organization's 5-point process is the offsite supervision of every school chaplain by a Senior Chaplain Board. This supervisory body serves to administrate and coordinate chaplains and act as an arbitrator when necessary.
Your chaplain will be available 24/7. You'll be provided with a contact phone number, and access to NSCA's app which contains a range of comprehensive beneficial resources.
Safer Students & Campuses
Chaplains can serve as a powerful intervention against mass school shootings, which are usually planned. As one NSCA member explained, "Chaplaincy has proven to dissipate tension, resolve conflict, and bring hope."
Many students resist seeking therapy or school counseling due to lingering stigmas, fear of reporting requirements, and possible footnotes such visits may add to transcripts. However, meetings with chaplains are informal and can be at will, which may encourage students to open up and work through emotional strife, says the NSCA.
About the NSCA
The NSCA was established to promote school chaplains as crucial and legitimate members of a school's staff, relying on and contributing to the establishment of national standards for school chaplains. The organization is dedicated to providing spiritual care, counseling, and practical community support regardless of race, religion, gender identity, creed, sexual orientation, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, socioeconomic status, or marital status.
Learn more about what a school chaplain can do for your campus and contact the NSCA today by visiting https://campuschaplains.org/
