New Rochelle board reviews Student Support Services roadmap; suspensions fall and district expands home visits, restorative practices and expanded-learning

The New Rochelle Board of Education received a detailed report from Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services Dr. Gail Joyner and her team showing year-to-year progress on key metrics and outlining next steps for attendance, discipline and family engagement.

Joyner presented the district’s strategic roadmap goals for student support: (a) comprehensive mental health, wellness and expanded-learning supports, (b) reduced chronic absenteeism, and (c) authentic family engagement. She reviewed state-reportable suspension and absenteeism data and described new and ongoing initiatives intended to lower disciplinary removals and raise attendance and expanded-learning participation.

Key data presented - Student suspension incidents and days: school year 2022–23 showed 408 state-reportable student suspension incidents for a total of 1,737 days. School year 2023–24 declined to 355 incidents for 1,351 days, a reduction the presenters described as evidence of initial progress. - Chronic absenteeism: baseline (school year 2021–22) was 29%; it rose to 36% in 2022–23 and fell to 31% in 2023–24. - Summer and expanded-learning seats: Summer 2023 offered 1,100 seats with 706 students enrolled; Summer 2024 offered 1,220 seats with 864 enrolled. - Parent-teacher/home visits: baseline 62 visits (22–23); 136 visits in 23–24. - Food pantry and community supports (Isaac E. Young): Feeding Westchester partnership reported 1,200 families served in the year, 4,915 neighbors reached and approximately 57,159 pounds of food distributed.

Programs and initiative…