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Teams room reports 56% jump in student use; social workers expand in-class and group services
Summary
District staff reported a 56% increase in use of the high-school 'teams room' this year (4,316 visits), described group programming, classroom collaborations, and tools to let students schedule social‑work support.
Lisa, the high school dean who oversees the teams room, told the Bethel Park School District board on May 13 that the teams room recorded 4,316 student visits this year — a 56% increase from the prior year — and that staff expanded collaboration with teachers and outside therapists.
Lisa said most visits were short: the average visit lasted roughly one class period and the primary reason (about 68%) was "regrouping," where students used quiet spaces to collect themselves and return to class. "We have had 4,316 kids walk through the door," she told the board, and staff observed that more students are self-referring and that 76% of students who used the teams room reported having outside therapy resources.
The team runs recurring groups (social skills, anxiety coping, self-image) that typically last four to five weeks and rotates meeting times so students do not repeatedly miss the same academic classes. Staff also conducted classroom visits tied to curricular topics (for example, grief stages after reading Gilgamesh) and offered targeted sessions for students involved in the spring play on performance anxiety and relaxation techniques.
The teams room added logistical tools and outreach this year: social workers created resource packets for use when students are off-campus, posted QR-coded scheduling flyers in private locations for students to book appointments, and included tips and affirmations in weekly bulletins. Staff also created a "teacher teams room" for staff wellness with monthly outside services and a book-swap; they are mentoring a student working toward a Girl Scout Gold Award focused on mental health.
Data the dean cited: 58% of teams-room visitors were female; tenth grade was the highest-using grade, followed by ninth grade; most visits were self-referred; groups ran multiple times when student interest aligned; and many visits involved brief check-ins as part of IEPs or service agreements.
Discussion vs. decision: the presentation was informational. The board did not take formal action on the teams-room program at the May 13 meeting.
