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Committee hears initial evaluation of behavioral‑support hires; leaders urge preserving roles in FY26 budget
Summary
School leaders reported that newly hired behavioral supports (risk coordinators and interventionists) are active in Methuen schools, have engaged many students, and freed administrators for planned work; several committee members said they will fight to protect the positions amid budget pressure.
The Methuen School Committee reviewed an initial evaluation of behavioral‑support positions the district added this school year and heard principals’ reports that the roles are actively supporting students and staff.
Administrators presented summaries from school leaders describing how risk coordinators and interventionists have been used. At Timoney and Tenney, risk coordinators have focused on relationship building, crisis de‑escalation and collaborative problem solving with students and teachers; principals said that having an on‑site staff member dedicated to those functions reduced the number of referrals into a single administrator’s office and freed administrators to conduct instructional work.
At the Marsh and the Couper/Gilbert/Steinmetz (CGS) program, staff described similar uses: in‑school interventions, student check‑ins, meetings with families and attendance at behavioral planning meetings. Committee members and administrators emphasized that the positions are intended to reduce out‑of‑school suspensions and provide an in‑school alternative for students who need supervised time and support.
Several members praised the initial results and urged that the roles be preserved in the FY26 budget. Member Ouellette said the positions are among the first items she would protect in the face of potential cuts, and other members described the roles’ direct and indirect benefits to students and to teacher planning time.
The administration reported that most positions approved last year are now filled and that principals asked for continued investment; the committee requested more granular data in future updates (for example, clearer counts of contacts by grade and outcomes such as changes in suspension rates) so members can evaluate budget tradeoffs.
Why it matters: The positions shape how the district responds to behavioral needs, how in‑school suspension and alternatives are delivered, and how administrators and teachers spend their time. Members asked for follow‑up data to inform budget decisions.
