Simultaneously, the board and community members expressed concerns over mental health resources following a tragic event involving a student suicide at the high school. A parent, Hillary Slair, raised questions about the district’s mental health support strategies, seeking clarity on the initiatives in place to assist students and provide access to mental health caregivers. In response, Dr. Emily Sortino detailed the comprehensive mental health services available across the district. She highlighted over thirty mental health professionals, including school psychologists and counselors, stationed at the schools. The district collaborates with Project Community Pride to offer additional counseling and telehealth services, and a wellness survey is conducted every few years to assess student needs.

Dr. Sortino outlined the district’s curriculum, which includes wellness units and emotional health training, alongside programs such as Second Step for elementary schools and Lifelines for suicide prevention at the middle and high school levels. She also mentioned the implementation of the Securely internet filtration system, designed to monitor student device usage for concerning self-harm-related terms. Despite these resources, Dr. Sortino acknowledged the impact of the recent tragedy and the ongoing reevaluation of support systems to better assist students.

The meeting also addressed updates on various school activities, including the conclusion of the fall sports season and the commencement of college representative visits for juniors and seniors. Homecoming was reported as a successful event, and the Out of the Darkness walk at Cougar Field raised awareness for suicide prevention, drawing strong participation from high school students.

In the finance and facilities section, the board discussed extending security services at the middle and high schools to cover additional hours after dismissal. The residency policy and the underutilization of certain middle school spaces were briefly considered, with discussions on repurposing these areas for classroom use. The financial implications of the CMS brick repair shifted focus from other potential capital projects.

Personnel updates included discussions about additional counseling support for staff and students. The board approved a list of faculty members who achieved advanced certifications, a result of recent contract negotiations that limited teacher pay guide movement to every other year. This led to a significant cohort of staff seeking advancement during this cycle.

The board also reviewed donations, acknowledging a $5,310 contribution from the Washington Avenue PTO for supplies and bulletin boards, and $6,750 earmarked for artificial intelligence training for staff. All finance items were passed unanimously.

During public commentary, a participant emphasized the need for leveraging nonprofit organizations to enhance the district’s mental health curriculum and support. They offered to join a working group to explore improvements in mental health resources. Another public comment highlighted societal mental health challenges.