(Radio Iowa) — Teaching is challenging enough without a pandemic shaking up how the classroom operates. As Iowa’s schools reopen, many districts are focused on keeping staff and students safe from COVID-19, but it’s taking a toll on teachers’ mental health. Jennifer Ulie-Wells is the executive director of “Please, Pass the Love,” a Des Moines-based non-profit that focuses on mental health in schools. She’s doing training for teachers across Iowa.

“They’re already feeling the stress and the burnout the way that they would at the end of a school year,” Ulie-Wells says. “So that’s not a recipe for success, and we know that that is probably not going to end well.” Jessie Todd, an instructional mentor at the Johnston Community School District, says she’s worried about teacher burnout. Todd normally works to support new, inexperienced teachers, but this summer she worked on the staff well-being support team.

She says she’s pushing teachers to use the district’s free counseling service. “We’re just making it really available, like, ‘Hey, it’s on the new teacher website and look, it’s in your building,’ and every instructional coach has the phone number, right on their door, just putting it there.” Still, getting teachers to seek emotional and mental support can be difficult as there’s often a stigma associated with getting help, according to Chris Wilson, the student well-being coordinator for the Johnston school district.

“One thing that I’ve really talked to a lot of people about, and then I think for myself personally, is feeling overwhelmed and stressed and anxious right now is your body’s normal, natural response to what’s going on,” Wilson says. “It doesn’t mean you have a mental health condition.” Some teachers report feeling overwhelmed as they navigate between preparing for socially distant in-person instruction and online classes. Mike Beranek, president of the Iowa State Education Association, says conflicts between state and local control of schools has been really hard on teachers.

“They are very concerned about the safety and health of their students as well as themselves,” Beranek says, “and seeing that their own local school board can’t make the decisions for their community is very concerning to them.” Last month, the I-S-E-A sued the state over its requirements for schools to go online. Sarah Valle, a choir teacher at the Davenport Community Schools, says her district had initially been looking at starting the school year mostly online, but state requirements mean Valle will have to return full-time to the classroom. Valle, who has taught for 13 years, worries about an outbreak and says this stress has made her not want to go back at all this year.

“If it were feasible for me to not teach this year, I would do it,” Valle says. “Not because I don’t love it, but I’m just that scared.” Valle says it’s not feasible for her to take a leave, so she says she’s relying on friends and family for emotional support as she heads back into school this month.

(reporting By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES– Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a proclamation, as required by Iowa law, directing that the general election on November 3, 2020, include the question whether to call a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the Iowa Constitution.

Iowa’s constitution requires that every ten years, the people of Iowa vote in the general election whether to call a constitutional convention. If a majority approves of calling a constitutional convention, the next General Assembly would be required to enact a process for electing delegates to the convention and for submitting any constitutional amendments proposed by the convention for ratification by the people of Iowa.

The full text of the proclamation is available here.

A Pottawattamie County man was arrested at the Pott. County Jail, Wednesday afternoon, on warrants for  sexual abuse and other charges out of Adair County. Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports 49-year old Charles Harold Lamb, of Council Bluffs (and formerly of Fontanelle), faces charges that include: Domestic Abuse Assault/1st Degree: Sexual Abuse of a 12-year old/2nd offense; Lascivious Acts with a Child; and Indecent Contact with a Child. His cash-only bond in the Adair Jail was set at $150,300.

Charles Lamb booking photo (Courtesy Adair County Sheriff’s Office)

According to the formal complaint, on July 29th, a man called the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and alleged Charles and Julie Lamb were sexually abusing their children. In the days that followed, two women called the Sheriff’s Office to report they were allegedly sexually abused in the past by Charles and Julie Lamb. They also reported that the 11-year old sister who was still living with the Lambs, was being sexually abused by the couple.

After Child Protective Services was called-in, Adair County Deputies responded to the Lamb residence in Fontanelle on July 30th. After CPS spoke with both females who had called the Sheriff’s Office, all of the children were removed from the home. The children were later interviews at Project Harmony, in Omaha. During the interview, the two female juveniles made comments indicating Charles Lamb had sexually abused them. The alleged abuse of at least one of the girls was observed by a juvenile male in Dec., 2008.  The juvenile also stated Charles Lamb had touched a female juvenile in a residence located in Greenfield.

The Domestic Abuse Assault charge against Charles Lamb was the result of an incident that took place on August 10th, where by he allegedly showed-up at his residence in Fontanelle at 2-a.m. and was told to leave, due to the ongoing investigation. He returned at 10:30-a.m. that same day and allegedly shoved his wife Julie into a farm pond. It wasn’t until Julie’s dog – which was trying to help her – turned on Charles, causing him to retreat into his vehicle. Julie Lamb told authorities she was in fear for her life, and believes that her husband would have killed her, had her dog not been there to protect her.