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Bethlehem Area SD reports falling referrals, expands mental-health partners and supports
Summary
District officials told the curriculum committee they have recorded about 9,300 discipline referrals through April 10 (projecting roughly 12,500 for the year), highlighted a decline from prior years, and described expanded partnerships (Pine Brook, Moravian University, Communities In Schools) and restorative-practices training for staff.
The Bethlehem Area School District’s student services team told committee members that disciplinary referrals are down this year and the district is expanding mental-health partnerships to support students.
"As of April 10th, we have approximately 9,300 referrals across the district," Dr. Frank Kelly said during the student services update, noting that the figure covers the first three marking periods and projects to about 12,500 for the full year. Staff said that total would be the lowest in recent years and attributed the change to coordinated services and consistent implementation of supports.
District staff also shared classroom-observation and device-use data. "As of April 10th we had inputed 6,192 learning walk visits," a presenter said, and staff reported observing electronic devices on average 5.9% of the time at the secondary level and 3.8% at the elementary level. Administrators said they follow up when phone use disrupts instruction.
Presenters outlined a tiered supports model and said restorative practices and high-instruction strategies are foundational. The team said it has trained roughly 712 staff members and emphasized that restorative approaches are not passive but intended to raise communication and instructional quality.
The presentation highlighted third-party and in-district partnerships that provide therapeutic and case-management services. Staff singled out Pine Brook as a crisis-response and counseling partner that has seen students from 22 of the district’s 24 schools and served more than 200 students this year. Officials also noted occupational-therapy support through Moravian University in wellness centers and Communities In Schools operating in six schools for case management, attendance and transition supports.
Staff said the district uses midyear and end-of-year student wellness surveys to measure whether providers are producing intended results and to hold contracted partners accountable. Multiple student comments were shared during the presentation describing trust in therapists and improved readiness for graduation; one presenter summarized a student’s comment about a counselor making school life "easier."
The presentation closed with district leaders saying they expect further improvement in survey measures once the end-of-year surveys are in and that continued collaboration across departments remains central to sustaining the downward trend in referrals.
The curriculum committee received the information; there was no formal vote on policy changes during the session.
