Pupil services report: attendance improves, but youth‑risk data raise mental‑health concerns

Pupil services director Amy Timmerman presented a wide set of social‑emotional and program metrics and said the district had seen measurable gains in attendance while also noting concerning risk indicators among students.

Timmerman told the board the district average attendance rose from roughly 93.9% to 95.9%, and chronic‑absence rates dropped substantially; she framed that improvement as the result of consistent messaging and school‑level work. She also said staff are tracking roughly 34 students who meet the district’s definition of homelessness (including doubled‑up housing) and that special‑education identification sits at about 17.5% (above a cited state average of 16.1%).

On mental‑health, Timmerman summarized results from the youth risk behavior survey (spring 2025): "Fifteen percent of middle schoolers have considered suicide, 11 percent with a plan," she said, adding the district treats screening and follow‑up with protocols and trained psychologists and counselors. Timmerman outlined steps the district will take, including a November series of events and mental‑health literacy training for staff and family engagement sessions.

Timmerman and board members also discussed office‑discipline referrals and school threat assessments: while some buildings reported rises in referrals and threat triage numbers, administration emphasized existing protocols and monitoring practices and said many cases lead to supportive interventions rather than formal punishment.

Why it matters: The report mixes encouraging operational data (attendance) and troubling mental‑health indicators that the district says will guide training, family engagement and service prioritization this year.