[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6469291,"mediaKeyId","5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd","parentId",5780994,"title","Chatham district reports mostly stable wellness results but flags eating-disorder indicators, suicide risk","audioSeconds",1190,"startMs",474000,"endMs",1664000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd&start=474&end=1664","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd/thumbnail_474000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6469291/New-Jersey/Chatham-district-reports-mostly-stable-wellness-results-but-flags-eating-disorder-indicators-suicide-risk","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469291-0ad383b3ca8b27ab12725514299dd039/orig.mp4?Expires=1773654925&Signature=UmR~PLjyHqZoWYJ1siVEDIhpmAoDr8tsWqeBHH67QFFcAMTf6boSYSNiF-hYGtJKs7Gtnh~Vcf5oOhiFvcNNyTe3kO~2JjZ4kWIWYENtUbkkHc8jS-lJocyTa1AAhsOkUL4Te7KBn7Q6~bgTudXv-MUuTBYURJTspONIt3gdw~Be7oYYhZfwwp~EbazmlI6ckxiS4GlgiBLOQ5cq7briO2jB3nRHHAtpDKWW~aUlV1MwsekBiEtrsxf4t2FKJZcLcaBvIuawg9NBjZSjT-Z7J7IqQK6hPHE-Nk4T2rJ5K5RsQguV91zbrfkYaJULuF-wICldlciV0mP4kV6twyjIrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","School District of the Chathams","date","2025-09-17T00:14:37.23Z","article","At a School District of the Chathams Board of Education meeting, district staff reviewed results from a February 2025 student wellness survey and described both stable measures and areas of concern, including restrictive eating behaviors, use of caffeine to stay awake, and gambling activity in games and apps.

The presentation, led by Kate DeSantis, supervisor of student health and well-being, and Blair Rosenthal, assistant superintendent for student support services, reported 1,590 student responses in February 2025 compared with 1,677 in 2023 and said 272 students opted out of the survey (135 at the high school and 137 at the middle school). Rosenthal said 87.7 percent of students said they feel connected to at least one adult at school, above a cited national average of about 79 percent.

Why it matters: district leaders said student mental health affects learning and classroom engagement and that the survey results guide programming and staff training. Presenters tied the data to on-campus supports and outside partnerships used to identify and assist students at risk.

Survey findings and district response
DeSantis and Rosenthal summarized national context (for example, cited national youth mental-health figures) and then focused on local data. They reported slightly improved stress patterns compared with 2023 but flagged several specific items:
- Responses: 1,590 completed surveys in February 2025 vs. 1,677 in 2023; 272 students opted out.
- Adult connection: 87.7 percent of students report feeling connected to at least one adult at school.
- Eating and weight control: presenters said nearly 20 percent of students reported avoiding food, inducing vomiting, or using laxatives to control weight and that 299 students indicated some form of dietary restriction. The district said hospitalizations and clinical referrals related to eating disorders have increased and that staff will receive professional development with Monte Nido in December.
- Substance/caffeine use: staff reported 136 students often or almost always used coffee, 99 used energy drinks often or almost always, 171 used other caffeinated drinks often or almost always, and 15 students reported occasional use of caffeine pills.
- Gambling and in-game purchases: presenters said 603 students reported purchasing loot boxes or skins and 508 reported playing dice or cards for money or items of value.
- Suicidality and safety work: DeSantis reported 121 combined risk assessments and hospitalizations over the past school year, 40 students required mental-health clearance to return to school, the district completed 21 behavior-threat assessments (BTMs), and additional students required school-based clearances.

District supports and next steps
Rosenthal and DeSantis described district resources: 18 school counselors (K–12), one district SAC (Mrs. Mandela), Project Community Pride and Aspire clinicians, a child-study team, 11 school psychologists and social workers, and a district filtering/alert tool (Securely) that flags concerning searches on school-issued devices. Programs cited included classroom social-emotional lessons (Second Step), Cougar Mindset and mindfulness programming, Lifelines suicide-prevention lessons, a wellness fair, therapy dogs at events, and partnerships with outside clinical providers for school-based clearances.

DeSantis said the district will continue staff training (including trauma-informed care and suicide-prevention training) and named Monte Nido as a planned training partner for work on eating disorders. Rosenthal emphasized ongoing communication between school counselors and outside mental-health providers to support students identified as at risk.

Board questions and clarifications
Board members asked how the district identifies the smaller share of students who do not report a trusted adult, how survey wording might affect estimates of disordered eating (for example, student athletes managing weight vs. clinical eating disorders), and how absenteeism and academic-pressure stressors relate to the results. DeSantis and Rosenthal answered that the anonymous nature of the survey limits direct identification but that school staff use referrals, clinical flags, and day-to-day observations to locate and assist students. They reiterated that some items (for example, the precise clinical status of weight-control behaviors) will be refined in future surveys and staff training.

The district said it will continue to use the survey to guide professional development and student supports and to maintain partnerships with outside providers for clinical evaluation and school-based clearances.

Ending
Board members thanked staff for the analysis and for district programming aimed at prevention and intervention.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Chatham BOE 09/15/25","oneSentenceSummary","At a School District of the Chathams Board of Education meeting, district staff reviewed results from a February 2025 student wellness survey and described both stable measures and areas of concern, including restrictive eating behaviors, use of caffeine to stay awake, and gambling activity in games and apps.","taxTitle","School District of the Chathams, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",65205,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469271,"Parent asks board to allow case-by-case early kindergarten admission; board cites common October 1 cutoff and capacity concerns",1142,3422000,4564000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd&start=3422&end=4564","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd/thumbnail_3422000.jpg","/articles/6469271/New-Jersey/Parent-asks-board-to-allow-case-by-case-early-kindergarten-admission-board-cites-common-October-1-cutoff-and-capacity-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469271-5af12dc56c951e940d8f8dcf6b9e3f2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773654925&Signature=eMI9mo5nsZhu1vB16T7VrIwoci4LN9oNjhWzJfe8UshrdsW4zBI25OfICnfv6bTAadsz0wNxvhmuZqcqzM1FqT8cIvlV0XrYAa8qJG6VH5NECGLiv9GEUYEryWs8jvIYI91wfT1uIKUmaUewrL2A3fK4pxwiVG8SJlpvHbUrmR9fQJXUEqE-LHu~FiI90T9U6tOViHSg0SjDv1Qo0FzptQyEU1XFa7XNwye~NsUnwjv0NmT3oMAeeGr6gX~bO~fFCeTekM~F4R7PrPU3UW4ptdbdGbgMr-WNV~Zfa4NrGqj5NyVfK5dPZW9XuFLj--4Xouo~j3RCbLnPjb4gygpmng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Corey Moss addressed the School District of the Chathams Board of Education to request a case-by-case pathway for his son, Cade, who turns 5 on Oct. 20, to enter kindergarten with his peers. Moss asked the board to refer Policy 5,111 to the policy committee and to evaluate Cade under an interim framework so he could enroll with district classmates.

Moss said his son’s preschool teachers documented that Cade had exceeded expectations academically and socially and that waiting another year could be detrimental. He asked for a structured process similar to those he said are used in some other districts that include readiness evaluations, preschool input and child-study review.

Board response
Board members acknowledged his concerns but said the district follows an October 1 cutoff date and noted practical constraints. A board member said many nearby districts use the same cutoff and that offering exemptions had created administrative complexity elsewhere. The superintendent and board members also cited recent reconfiguration to accommodate full‑day kindergarten and the fiscal and staffing responsibilities involved in any exception process.

Ending
Board members thanked Moss and discussed the policy reasons for the cutoff; no immediate policy change was made at the meeting.","A parent asked the board to re-refer policy 5,111 and evaluate his son for early kindergarten entry; board members explained the district follows an October 1 cutoff and raised staffing, space and policy-consistency concerns.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469276,"Student asks board to create Independent Student Learning option aligned with NJAC; district staff offer follow-up meeting",1246,3270000,4516000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd&start=3270&end=4516","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd/thumbnail_3270000.jpg","/articles/6469276/New-Jersey/Student-asks-board-to-create-Independent-Student-Learning-option-aligned-with-NJAC-district-staff-offer-follow-up-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469276-5f4a60f5a45687c1db82506e8f750772/orig.mp4?Expires=1773654925&Signature=iOvKfqGo70QWj-YU3qGPcIcpbSelBaQa~0Jy0kST4uLvfILTV0n7otAE0pogg71PWMau2IJuWvKD2XxUpfsKOOloWC9-R3dNPBwaDnUUFSYOP8j3XZxITnXLMa5FKj2w6um~b-SOibuSIrXRhtntwzt4hXNQfLgcDgT7W2xq12~kFGCveSI4V-moUE33PiLm~NCc9Yk0wGiV7smiMNT2Bn4Z1utOyBWW~bkmXPwoLkIqJtXq1ockD~kQBtI9uWQ40xnZ-BhFLIBUPCTT6lfON2IkazuWuUcaWQ-urcKZBzTZNBB5dPyp8EThj3eUJw9kbPd7dUBG1MHWUSabeLXk8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Emily Smith, a freshman at Chatham High School, addressed the School District of the Chathams Board of Education to request a new Independent Student Learning (ISL) option that she said would comply with state guidance (her remarks cited \"NJAC section 6a\" and degree‑credit provisions).

Smith said 75 students support offering ISL for credit and that the model could let students pursue individualized fitness and other learning while meeting New Jersey Student Learning Standards. She addressed safety and curriculum alignment concerns raised at prior meetings and said families could pay activity fees to cover program costs.

Board response and next steps
Board members thanked Smith for persistent advocacy and said district staff would follow up. Superintendent Dr. Sortino and curriculum staff offered to meet; Dr. Donahue and other administrators said they would contact Smith to discuss curriculum alignment and logistics.

Ending
Board members encouraged Smith’s outreach and said staff would follow up offline to explore options and safeguards.

","A freshman urged the board to allow an Independent Student Learning option aligned to New Jersey learning standards and cited NJAC; the board offered to meet with the student and district staff to discuss details.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469281,"Chatham high senior presents AI-in-education study; district schedules teacher AI training",321,2925000,3246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd&start=2925&end=3246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd/thumbnail_2925000.jpg","/articles/6469281/New-Jersey/Chatham-high-senior-presents-AI-in-education-study-district-schedules-teacher-AI-training","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469281-799c014d3be2951f039bed7485182413/orig.mp4?Expires=1773654925&Signature=LEiOHsgUtkjJrnkm76Col77Q086FKX~AZveDJ5L-X9JWdM-YIrvqGACm1tK5ng4eSceUJxbER-r1ArmOGQ3E084jUZnXE3NFKjC422Tlw2n~rbHQnKGZPxFoH8utT-2qlRorBtjtOyaG1D9B1mcfkzO5u-lp82YLtj8evRcK4ChTaAgQNxwZYlnR7d6SE8v-Ca~omqo756TToSMAjlaLAvsH23eXS3WmUz55MIem~zHfFOzNvn7wavTywbBJ4Njl7XJ5o~0CCfJP-zj2w-njBk~D4M5LX4KlL12kQsIwHOR0PMQKw0s0OiegpLQks2tseUW0hwTnO8joVfx8YenupQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Stone Lang, a senior at Chatham High School, presented independent research at the public meeting summarizing how 71 district teachers and administrators perceive artificial intelligence in instruction and suggested tailored professional development and guidelines for responsible use.

Lang, who said he surveyed 71 educators and used clustering methods in his analysis, highlighted four main findings: cautious openness to AI tools for tutoring and differentiation, ethical and equity concerns about over-reliance, that readiness varies by mindset more than by job title, and that AI could align with learning theory to provide adaptive, zone-of-proximal-development support.

Lang recommended a formal needs assessment, tailored professional development by readiness level, and clear responsible-use guidelines. Board members praised the paper and asked follow-up questions; several said the research would inform district planning. The board announced a full-day professional-development session for teachers on Oct. 13 focused on instructional uses for AI.

Ending
Board members thanked Lang and noted the report would inform upcoming staff professional development.","A senior presented findings from a survey of 71 teachers on AI in instruction; board members praised the work and the district scheduled a full-day professional development on AI for Oct. 13.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469286,"Chatham board approves minutes and routine personnel, finance and curriculum packages",1180,2844000,4024000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd&start=2844&end=4024","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780994-fff363857b0edcf317b1cf66a24558cd/thumbnail_2844000.jpg","/articles/6469286/New-Jersey/Chatham-board-approves-minutes-and-routine-personnel-finance-and-curriculum-packages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469286-239e2c74c18dfc1f46dbebe07058995e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773654925&Signature=PYdHU9oK0mcLKzpXVECJqJP6Oz8r5r4DlbxWCPGT6KQNG9B7P1SL8wXPaxI~jP161E-hXne-phnjYlurFUvqNmBH3-EnCrbZaW~9rtOPqNG~qsPHH-0uQVOOV0q4Zw8XmvlxuTwyvJYMUcJqTPqtB2JiYGlQaT-B~4D-DIyta5pvWJMiLDxfIiEy5I9SnGDJqJm6ee8eqB4kwvPtjc8Y5K2jKpfYuLFvH9MZhKav3-WQd-XfMFGxr1ySlLbWHb~pDA8ynhP9AgppoG3wrTXUX0hOgcu-fA4CbxvLfSljdXbtvntE27u447~WvqyeMw14I8Z4Cp9Gy1cpccYau330dA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The School District of the Chathams Board of Education approved routine minutes and packages of personnel, finance and curriculum items during its public meeting.

Minutes and abstentions
A motion to approve the minutes from the August public meeting passed with two abstentions. Board members Susan Ross and (Miss) Ciccarelli recorded abstentions; the other five members voted yes.

Agenda bundles passed
- Personnel: A motion to approve agenda items A1 through A26 (with addendum item A27 and amendments to items A3, A7, A12, A13, A22, A24 and A25) was moved and approved by recorded roll call, 7–0.
- Finance: Agenda items B1 through B8 were approved by recorded roll call, 7–0.
- Curriculum: Agenda items C1 through C7 were approved by recorded roll call, 7–0.

Board procedure and next steps
Board members indicated the personnel package included contract and staffing items and that several items had amendments or an added item on the addendum. No executive session was held. The meeting continued to committee reports and public commentary following the recorded votes.

Ending
All bundle motions carried; board business proceeded to the regular agenda.","Board voted to approve minutes from the August public meeting (two abstentions) and passed personnel, finance and curriculum agenda bundles by recorded votes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Chatham district reports mostly stable wellness results but flags eating-disorder indicators, suicide risk

Parent asks board to allow case-by-case early kindergarten admission; board cites common October 1 cutoff and capacity concerns

Student asks board to create Independent Student Learning option aligned with NJAC; district staff offer follow-up meeting

Chatham high senior presents AI-in-education study; district schedules teacher AI training

Chatham board approves minutes and routine personnel, finance and curriculum packages