Syosset outlines tiered MTSS supports, expands Northwell mental‑health partnership

Syosset Central School District presented details of its multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS) at the district’s October Board of Education meeting, describing how the district identifies struggling students, the interventions used at each level, and an expanded partnership with Northwell Health to improve access to behavioral health services.

The presentation, led by Superintendent Dr. Raymond Rogers and MTSS staff, described MTSS as “a systematic framework that we use to provide targeted support to our struggling learners,” and walked the board through a case study of a hypothetical fourth‑grade student named Arthur to show how screening, intervention and progress monitoring work over time. District staff emphasized that MTSS addresses academic, social, emotional and behavioral needs and that students may move up or down tiers depending on their response to supports.

Why it matters: Board members pressed staff on rising mental‑health needs across grade levels, how MTSS captures students who fall below conventional screening cutoffs, and what the district is doing proactively to reduce demand for intensive interventions. Staff said the district is strengthening a centralized MTSS module in its student information system, expanding school‑level mental‑health teams and piloting programs to support prevention and social‑emotional learning.

District overview and tiers

Superintendent Dr. Raymond Rogers introduced the program and handed the presentation to Ms. Erin Goldthwait, who described MTSS as a tiered approach that begins with universal classroom‑level supports (Tier 1), moves to small‑group interventions (Tier 2) and advances to individualized, intensive instruction (Tier 3). Goldthwait said entry and exit criteria are guided by a combination of screener scores, classroom data and professional judgment.

The district cited typical magnitudes for each tier: Tier 2 generally serves about 10–15% of students and Tier 3 about 5%. For screening, staff identified the district’s universal screener (NWEA MAP) and local measures such as running records and aimsweb Plus progress monitoring. Goldthwait said scores below the 41st percentile on the NWEA MAP trigger closer review; the case example used a 39th percentile score to illustrate the referral and intervention sequence.

Case example and interventions

Using the example student “Arthur,” staff explained the sequence: a teacher observes comprehension difficulties, consults entry criteria and collects data (NWEA, running record). The teacher begins an 8–10 week Tier 1 cycle of targeted small‑group instruction. If progress stalls, the case moves to an MTSS team for Tier 2 planning; staff described a Tier 2 example of three 40‑minute learning‑center sessions per week using Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI).

When progress remained insufficient after another 8–10 week cycle, the team recommended Tier 3: increased frequency (five days per week, 40 minutes per day) in a smaller group or one‑to‑one, continued progress monitoring with aimsweb Plus, and consideration of program changes (for example, switching from LLI to Visualizing and Verbalizing if vocabulary is the primary deficit). Staff reported example outcomes from the case study: a reading level increase from O→P→Q and aimsweb increases from the 10th to the 22nd percentile in reading comprehension after intensified Tier 3 supports.

Mental‑health supports and Northwell partnership

Staff described a strengthened mental‑health staffing structure this year — including a dedicated social worker in each building — and a district‑level expansion of behavioral supports. Dr. Laverso summarized: “Students have a variety of needs, and we focus on the whole child during our MTSS process.”

The district announced a new partnership with Northwell Health Behavioral Health System to augment in‑school services and to speed linkage to outside care. Staff said Northwell will provide consultations and professional development for staff (Tier 1 supports), help with linkage to care for families (Tier 2), and accept direct referrals to a behavioral clinic used by the district (Tier 3), with students able to be seen at the Minneola health clinic “at least within 24 hours of referral,” according to staff.

Programs, prevention and data improvements

Staff named specific instructional and behavioral tools in use or under review, including Foundations (elementary), Castle Learning (secondary), Project Beyond (enrichment), the Olweus bullying prevention program and an expanded intervention library that the district is rebuilding within its student management system. Staff said the district will revisit and update MTSS entry/exit criteria, improve notification systems and provide quarterly progress reports for teams.

Board questions and concerns

Board members pressed on several recurring issues: how the district identifies social‑emotional needs that are harder to quantify, whether overall student anxiety levels are rising, supports for students who enter midyear, how the district treats students at the high end of the achievement curve, and how schools allocate staff based on need rather than building size.

Ms. Falcov, a board member, told staff, “I think the MTSS program is fantastic,” while asking how restorative practices are embedded to help students reengage after incidents. Staff replied that restorative practices are used across tiers and that mental‑health teams help teachers judge whether behaviors reflect developmental expectations or higher‑level concern.

Next steps and district goals

Staff said the district will continue to refine the MTSS module in its student data system, finalize updated entry/exit criteria and enhance the intervention library and mental‑health staffing. Administrators also identified curriculum priorities including math and social studies, and said they plan additional project‑based learning connections across grades.

Votes at a glance

The meeting also recorded several routine personnel and minutes approvals by voice vote; no oppositions or abstentions were noted during the roll calls in the transcript.

• Approval of minutes (Sept. 11, 2023): motion by Mr. Greco, seconded by Ms. Levitan — approved by voice vote; no opposed or abstentions noted in the record.

• Appointments to tenure (Daniela Begonja and Michelle McGavin): motion by Mr. Greco, seconded by Ms. Falcov — approved by voice vote; no opposed or abstentions noted.

• Appointment of executive director of human resources (Ayesha Morgenstern): motion by Dr. Park, seconded by Ms. Kocia — approved by voice vote; no opposed or abstentions noted.

The board did not take additional formal action related to MTSS during the meeting; staff described program changes, partnerships and internal implementation steps as continuing work.