Advisory council splits into three subcommittees to tackle student safety, behavioral and physical health

The State Advisory Council on Student Health and Well‑Being organized three subcommittees to focus council work on student safety, student behavioral health and student physical health.

Chair explained the scope of each group: the Student Safety subcommittee will address threats, building security and the appropriate roles for school resource officers; Student Behavioral Health will concentrate on mental‑health services, suicide prevention and behavioral supports; Student Physical Health will review substance‑use prevention, nutrition and physical‑activity policies. "So you're not committing to anything outside of the normal meetings," the chair told members, underscoring that subcommittee work will be completed during scheduled council sessions rather than via extra meetings.

Each subcommittee will be facilitated by staff or council designees: the chair identified Mr. Casey Cory (director of education with juvenile justice) as facilitator for the Student Safety group, and named Brandy as lead for the Student Behavioral Health subcommittee. Staff will collect breakout notes, circulate worksheets included in members' folders and incorporate suggested expert presentations into future agendas.

Members reported breakout takeaways: one group suggested clearer delineation of which issues SROs should handle and what training those officers should have; another emphasized the importance of communication plans during emergencies so teachers and parents receive consistent information; a third recommended including student voice through a student‑led safety commission. The council asked staff to compile notes and recommended presentations ahead of the Sept. 29 meeting.

Next steps: staff will circulate subcommittee worksheets and a schedule of upcoming meetings and presentations. The council reconvenes Sept. 29 from 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m.