Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mental Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newington board honors recovery advocate; students report strong mental‑health supports
Summary
The Newington Board of Education recognized Tom Frable for speaking about recovery to students and heard student representatives report nearly 95% of respondents feel comfortable speaking with adults at Newington High School; the board praised the district’s mental‑health seminar and resource network.
The Newington Board of Education on Wednesday honored Tom Frable as the meeting’s “everyday hero” and heard student representatives describe district mental‑health efforts they say are reaching students.
Christina Redmond and colleagues nominated Frable for repeatedly sharing his lived experience with substance use and recovery in the district’s mental‑health seminar. In the nomination read at the meeting, Redmond said Frable’s talks “speak with honesty, humility and courage” and “leave a lasting impression” on students. "Tom does far more than tell a story. He saves lives," the nomination read.
Student representatives Abby and Danny summarized activities at Newington High School — midterm preparations, club competitions and upcoming stress‑relief events — and presented results from a district survey of roughly 500 students. According to the students, “about 95% of the students feel somewhat comfortable or completely comfortable sharing thoughts and ideas with adults” at NHS. They also said the mental‑health seminar and school supports have led to outside referrals; presenters said 18 outside referrals were made since last May so students could remain in school while receiving help.
Board members praised the speakers and emphasized that mental‑health supports factor into budget priorities. Several members said the survey data and the mental‑health seminar’s role in keeping students engaged would help shape staffing and funding decisions during the upcoming budget season.
The student presentation also noted available resources at the high school, including counselors, social workers, school psychologists and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training. Board discussion framed those supports as part of a broader strategy to reduce stigma and connect students with services.
The board plans to use the survey findings and staff‑allocation reports discussed later in the meeting as part of budget deliberations scheduled in coming weeks.
