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Lenox Middle highlights expanded mental‑health supports, restorative circles and after‑school clubs
Summary
Lenox Middle School told the school board it has expanded social‑emotional offerings for students, increased school‑based partnerships for mental‑health services, and restarted many after‑school clubs as part of efforts to boost attendance and test scores.
Lenox Middle School presented an update to the Lennox School District board on Wednesday outlining expanded mental‑health services, restorative practices and after‑school clubs intended to boost student engagement and achievement. The presentation, made by Principal Stephanie Pichardo and school staff, said the school has added a second social‑emotional wellness class for seventh graders and strengthened partnerships with community therapy providers.
The presentation said the school has “just this trimester started a second social emotional wellness class for our 7th graders,” and that partners on campus include Asian Pacific Counseling, Crossroads and other local therapy groups. The principal said those partnerships provide a mix of formal therapy and more informal, student‑directed services aimed at students at risk of bullying, vaping or other risky behaviors.
The update stressed restorative circles as an alternative to suspensions. “We have done over 100 restorative circles in the last year,” Pichardo said, describing circles that sometimes involved students, staff or parents and that can take multiple sessions to resolve repeated conflicts. The school said restorative work has coincided with lower suspension rates and reduced chronic absenteeism.
School staff also described a wide menu of clubs — including investment, weightlifting, friendship and animal‑therapy programs — run at lunch and after school to keep students engaged. Students who take part in the “Friendship Club” can earn community‑service hours required for eighth‑grade promotion, presenters said; one student said the club “helps us communicate” and that it also provides community‑service credit.
Pichardo tied the services to academic gains: school screeners and interim assessments show the school’s middle‑of‑year literacy and math gains compared with the start of the year. “When our students are emotionally well, when they're ready to learn, the sky's the limit for them,” she said. The presentation also noted a decline in chronic absenteeism and higher assessment scores compared with the post‑pandemic low.
The school said practical next steps include restarting a parent‑run lunchtime wellness room, expanding hotspot distribution for unhoused students, and continuing outreach to raise community awareness of school programs. Board members and community attendees praised the work and suggested amplifying alumni success stories in district communications to help recruitment and community perception.
The school’s update included short video clips and photographed student comments; staff requested continued board support for partnerships and volunteer programs that keep clubs running and ensure adequate adult supervision.
Pichardo closed by inviting trustees to visit and see programs in action and by thanking counselors, assistant principals and community partners for their roles in the expansion of services.
