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Pembroke officials outline student-services expansion and mental-health supports, report rising caseloads
Summary
District administrators described multi-tiered student supports, therapeutic resource rooms (Compass/Titan), a grant-funded registered behavior technician and a contracted behaviorist; current counts include about 188 PreK–6 students served, 37 middle-school and 102 high-school students on social-worker caseloads, and 46 students served by a contracted behaviorist (up from 33 last year).
District student-services staff gave the committee a multi-part update on mental-health supports and interventions.
Jess (student-services) reviewed the district's multi-tiered system of supports (tiers 1–3), described Tier 1 classroom-based accommodations and SEL curriculum, Tier 2 targeted small-group or individual interventions (Compass and Titan Labs), and Tier 3 behavioral consultation and functional behavioral assessments (FBAs). Staff noted the district uses a mix of internal staff (social workers, school psychologists) and contracted services.
Current metrics: Jess said approximately 188 PreK–6 students have received small-group or individual counseling to date; the middle school has 37 students on social-worker caseloads and the high school has 102. The district contracts 17 hours per week with a behaviorist through the Pilgrim Area Collaborative; that behaviorist currently consults on 46 students (up from 33 at the same time last year). There have been 13 in-school FBAs so far, compared with 8 at this time last year. An RBT (registered behavior technician) is grant-funded and has serviced six students; the district is interviewing to fill additional social-emotional program positions and a BCBA.
Administrators said some social-emotional programs were paused earlier due to a hiring freeze but hiring resumed; training and professional-development work on prevention, de-escalation, and executive-function coaching has continued. Staff emphasized the goal of providing supports that keep students in the least-restrictive environment and reduce the need to place students out of district.
What's next: District staff will continue interviews for open social-emotional roles, finalize RBT and BCBA hires as funding allows, and provide implementation plans for the social-emotional program at upcoming budget and building-based budget presentations.
