May Newsletter
BMS Counseling Department
- May Dates and Reminders
- BMS Counseling LinkTree - Subscribe
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month
- Mental Health & Community Resources
- Digital Wellness
- May 18–22 is Digital Well-Being Week
- PowerSchool
- Requesting Parent/Team Meetings
- May Reminders
- BMS Counseling Department
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a national effort to highlight the importance of mental well-being and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health conditions. It’s a time to foster understanding, encourage open conversations, and remind ourselves that seeking help is a sign of strength.
Mental health is physical health. Whether it’s finding ways to be active, connecting with your community, or remembering to drink water, small wins matter. Think about does a good day look and feel like to you?
InStride Health offers specialized outpatient care for kids, teens, and young adults struggling with anxiety and OCD. Their evidence-based treatment combines CBT and ACT with a focus on exposure therapy, and families can typically begin care within 1–4 weeks. Each personalized care plan includes therapy, exposure coaching, parent and skills groups, and, if needed, medication management.
My Amazing Summer Challenge
Inspired by The Amazing Generation, we want students across the country to have a fun and adventurous summer offline.
When kids are empowered to choose real life over screens, their mental health benefits.
Students will read The Amazing Generation—the new book from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price—on their own over the summer, try something inspired by it, and share a short reflection in the fall. Every student who participates will get a certificate of recognition.
There is a free online toolkit if you register -- and the opportunity to get some free books.
Click HERE for more information or to sign up for the challenge.
Upcoming Cartwheel Webinars
May 12, 2026 (7-8pm ET): Learning How to Recognize and Treat Youth with OCD and Related Disorders
The Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY) Parenting Solutions has created a list of proven resources to help students' families thrive. Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. Each Library includes 10-minute videos and handouts.
Click HERE to access the videos and handouts in each library.
Parents Supporting Parents: Family Learning Sessions held first Tuesday of the month from 7-8pm
April 7, 2026: Parenting Tips for Balancing Free Time & Structured Time At Home
Need additional support? Check out our Family Support Resources
Digital Well-Being Week
Digital Well-being Week is an annual campaign that encourages students, educators, and professionals to develop healthier, more intentional relationships with technology while supporting Mental Health Awareness Month. The initiative promotes balanced screen time, improved focus, and overall well-being through simple strategies
- Micro-boundaries with devices - Simple, everyday changes like keeping phones outside the bedroom at night or leaving devices on grayscale to make them less distracting
- Practicing mindful pauses before using phones - Taking 3 breaths before unlocking your phone to ask yourself why you are opening it.
- Following the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eye strain - For every 20 minutes of screen time, looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to reduce eye strain.
- Limiting non-essential notifications.
Not sure how to access your student's schedule and/or Progress Report? Please see below:
- Use your device (Go to: https://westford.powerschool.com/public).
- Download the 'PowerSchool Mobile' app on your phone - see image on the right for how to access your account. Once logged on, click on the "My Schedule" icon in the left nav and you'll see your student's schedule.
