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Candidates emphasize mental health but propose different board roles
Summary
Both candidates said student mental health is a priority. Timothy Sasson emphasized increasing elementary-level guidance and proactive identification; Dr. Michelle Rivers said the board’s role is to support the superintendent and ask for plans and updated community resource lists.
Both candidates told the audience that student mental health is a growing concern in the district.
Timothy Sasson said the district should provide more support at the elementary level and equip guidance counselors with needed tools. "We actually have guidance counselors now at the elementary level...We wanna make it a priority to make sure that every kid is heard," he said, describing a proactive approach to identification and support.
Dr. Michelle Rivers said a board member’s role is to support the superintendent and request specific plans and staffing numbers. She noted the district’s community resources list on the website had not been updated since 2019 and said she would work with the superintendent to update community mental health resources and to identify the number of guidance counselors, social workers and psychologists in school buildings.
Neither candidate proposed specific new programs or budgets during the forum; both emphasized oversight and resource alignment as board priorities.
