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School psychologists and safety directors say mental health must be central to school safety plans
Summary
Panelists including a school psychologist, an IU safety director, and a superintendent said mental-health supports, behavioral threat-assessment teams, and parent advisory councils are foundational to preventing school violence and keeping students ready to learn.
A three-person panel on the Keystone Education Report argued that mental health and meaningful adult-student relationships are foundational to school safety and that security measures alone are insufficient.
"Safety and security are two related but different terms," said a panelist who described security as tangible controls (access control, cameras, presence of an SRO) and safety as the felt experience of being secure. The panelists urged schools to pair security infrastructure with programs that foster student connection to at least one meaningful adult.
Dr. Angela McMasters, introduced as a school psychologist who serves the Indiana Area School District, said students often signal distress through writing samples or behavior changes and that giving students words and channels to seek help matters. "Sometimes our students might be feeling things, and they don't know how to say it," she said.
Dr. Aaron Skirban, introduced as director of safety and security for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, discussed mandated behavioral threat-assessment teams across the Commonwealth and urged transparency so parents know how to contact supports. Panelists recommended parent advisory councils, regular communication about drills and procedures, and staff supports to implement interventions without stigmatizing students.
Why this matters: panelists described mental-health early intervention and clear, transparent procedures as both preventive and restorative—measures that support learning while helping staff detect and de-escalate potential threats.
The program ended with panelists urging ongoing community engagement and noting further episodes will continue the conversation.
