Mental health pilot program at NF schools helps provide support for students

The Niagara Falls City School District is making sure it provides academic and behavioral support for students through a mental health pilot program called Behavioral and Emotional Screening Systems, or BESS.

GOOD EVENINGONCE AGAIN... I'MKEITHRADFORD.....THONGOING PANDEMICHAS TURNED ALL OFOUR LIVES UPSIDEDOWN....FOR SOMEIT IS CAUSINGPROBLEMS THATCOULD LAST ALIFETIMESTUDENTS HAVEBEEN IN AND OUTOF THEIRCLASSROOMS NOWSINCE LASTMARCH.....AND THEEXPERTS ARE NOWSEEING WHATEFFECT THAT ISHAVING ONTHEM....THEY CLAIMIT IS EFFECTINGTHEIR MENTALHEALTH...NOTSEEING THEIRCLASSMATES ATEACHERS FOREXTENDED PERIODOF TIMES..... THESTORY TONIGHTFROM 7 EWNREPORTER ALAERREBHI...."WE KNOW THAT ACHILD'S EARLYCHILDHOODEXPERIENCE INSCHOOL REALLYSETS THEM ON THETRAJECTORY FORTHE REST OF THEISCHOOL CAREER,"THE NIAGARA FALLSCITY SCHOOLDISTRICT IS MAKINGSURE IT PROVIDESACADEMIC ANDBEHAVIORALSUPPORT FORSTUDENTSTHROUGH A MENTALHEALTH PILOTPROGRAM CALLEDBEHAVIORAL ANDEMOTIONALSCREENINGSYSTEMS, OR BESS.THE PANDEMIC HCREATED DIFFICULTCIRCUMSTANCESFOR STUDENTS...ASTHE FACE OFEDUCATION HASCHANGED.RICHARD CARELLAIS ADMINISTRATORFOR CURRICULUMAND INSTRUCTION.HE SAYS STUDENTSWHO AREN'T DOINGWELL EMOTIONALLYOR SOCIALLY MAYHAVE TROUBLELEARNING BECAUSEOF IT."WE NEED TO DOEVERYTHING WECAN TO MAKE SURETHAT THEYEXPERIENCEACADEMICSUCCESS,"HE SAYS SOCIALAND EMOTIONALISSUES CANMANIFEST ASCERTAIN BEHAVIORSTHAT MAKE ITDIFFICULT FOR KIDSTO LEARN.

OTHERTIMES THEY CANMANIFEST AS POORATTENDANCE,STUDENTSBECOMINGWITHDRAWN ORDISRUPTIVEBEHAVIORTHE SCREENING -WHICH BEGAN INTHE FALL - ALLOWSTHEM TO IDENTIFYTHE STUDENTSWHO ARE IN NEED.THEY'RE FIRSTSTARTING WITHSTUDENTS WHOARE ONLY IN THEHYBRID MODEL, ANDONLY THOSEKINDERGARTTHROUGH SECONDGRADE."WE WANTED TOSTART SMALL ANDGET A FEEL FOR THEKIND OF DATA THATASSESSMENTREVEALS,"TEACHERS WOULDOBSERVE THEIRSTUDENTS'BEHAVIOR OVER SIXTO EIGHT WEEKS,THEN ANSWER A 20QUESTIONSCREENING.CARELLA SAYSRESULTS AREBROKEN DOWN INTOTHREECATEGORIES, ORTIERS."WHAT WE LEARNEDIS THAT MOSTSTUDENTS WOULDBE IN THE FIRSTTIER, OR THEYWOULD BEFUNCTIONINGWITHIN THENORMAL RANGEAND WOULDN'TNEED ANYINTERVENTIONS.THEN A CERTAINPERCENTAGE OFSTUDENTS WOULDBE SLIGHTLY ATRISK AND NEEDSOME MOREASSISTANCE,"ASSISTANCE ORINTERVENTIONWOULD INVOLVESUPPORT FROMTEACHERS, SCHOOLCOUNSELORS ORSOCIAL WORKERSTO GET STUDENTSBACK ON TRACK.CARELLA SAYS THEDISTRICT ISLOOKING ATEXTENDING THESCREENING TOSTUDENTSTHROUGH SIXTHGRADE NEXT YEAR.ALA ERREBHI, 7EWN.