Syosset schools outline multi-tier plan to build student belonging and expand mental-health supports

Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services Erin Goldthwait and district administrator Mr. Steinberg told the Syosset Board of Education on Wednesday evening that the district has expanded a multi-tiered approach to build students’ sense of belonging across middle and high schools. The presentation covered schoolwide culture work, targeted small-group interventions, lunchtime “nooks” and an increase in psychologists, social workers and other mental-health staff.

Why it matters: administrators said adolescent students are especially vulnerable during identity formation and unstructured parts of the day, and that a stronger sense of belonging is linked to academic engagement, resilience and improved social-emotional outcomes. The district presented the effort as aligned with recent board goals on inclusive culture and student well-being.

Goldthwait said the district is embedding social-emotional learning into schedules, including elementary SEL blocks and tiered MTSS…