Two Jonesboro Public School buses were involved in separate accidents during the first week of school, raising safety and mental health concerns for students and families.
The first crash occurred Wednesday morning when a dump truck collided with a school bus on North Main Street. The bus was transporting ten students at the time. The following afternoon, a second accident occurred on Highland Drive, involving another school bus with twelve children aboard. No injuries were reported in either incident.
Despite the absence of physical harm, mental health professionals stress the potential emotional impact of such events. Licensed clinical social worker Kenya Ward highlighted that traumatic incidents can leave lasting effects on children. "Things like anxiety, which may look like nervousness, panic, irrational fears... many children have fears about their own morbidity," Ward commented.
Ward encouraged parents to look out for signs of trauma in their children, which may include trouble sleeping, increased anxiety, emotional outbursts, withdrawal from social interactions, or a reluctance to board the bus. She emphasized the importance of maintaining open communication. "It is really important first to say: have open communication with your child. Make sure they feel comfortable coming to you with how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if you see some of these things happening with your children, don’t sit on those things," she advised.
Jonesboro Public Schools has resources in place to address student mental health needs. Assistant Superintendent William Cheatham explained that parents can turn to school counselors for initial support. "The nice thing about Jonesboro and most schools now is we have mental health providers in the building. Of course, we have our school counselors, so we would start with that. So, as a parent, reach out to the counselor, and from there we can assess and find support," Cheatham said.
School counselors encourage parents to monitor their children for changes in behavior in the days and weeks following such incidents. Indicators of distress should not be overlooked, and professional help should be sought if these signs persist.