What is being done about it?

The percentage of students in Worcester who identify stress and anxiety as their top issue has grown significantly since 2019.

WORCESTER – Worcester public school students return from their summer break for the first day of classes Aug. 28. Summer fun will be replaced by early morning bus rides and homework assignments and there will be new programs to address a lingering problem in the schools.

Elevated stress and anxiety plagued many students last school year, according to a district report, and leaders will roll out new strategies this fall to address the challenge.

“In my opinion, absolutely, there is a mental health crisis in the schools. It’s nationwide, and it’s got to be taken seriously,” said Anna Azarloza, chief academic support officer for the Worcester schools.

Recent student surveys paint a troubling picture.

● Thirty-seven percent of middle school students (grades 7, 8) reported that they experienced stress. That percentage is more than triple the 12% of students that indicated their next highest level of concern: Bullying and peer pressure.

● The stress percentage is significantly higher in the high school grades, where the level was 59%. That is more than seven times higher than the 8% of students that indicated peer pressure and problems at home as the next highest level of concern.

Worrisome cycle: School appears to be the problem

Azarloza painted a worrisome cycle for some students. It starts with feelings of hopelessness and sadness that leads to a mindset that they can’t solve their problems. As a result, they give up when the going gets tough.

Increased stress is the underlying factor, noted Azarloza and it might be surprising to hear what Azarloza believes is causing the stress — life inside the schools. It’s there where students are struggling with bullying, establishing relationships with teachers and peers, making decisions and managing their emotions.

COVID-19 pandemic is a factor

These challenges have always existed to varying degrees, said Azarloza, but they’ve been “brought to light” by the COVID-19 pandemic that isolated students for months in virtual and hybrid learning.

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“The pandemic brought these issues to light. We have to take them seriously, and we need to address them,” said Azarloza.

School psychologist shortage: Won’t be easy to fill the gaps

Addressing the issues won’t be easy because of a shortage of school psychologists that can help students work through their problems. Currently, the district has 95 school adjustment counselors, so there is no shortage there, said Azarloza.

But the Worcester schools are 11 positions short on the school psychologist front. Currently, there are 24 and a total of 35 are budgeted. To fill the gap, the district has a contract with four agencies to supply staff: The Stepping Stones Group; You Inc.; Effective School Solutions and Multicultural Wellness Center.

The long-term goal of filling the shortage won’t be easy because fewer people are entering the field, noted Azarloza.

“It’s a tough field. After the pandemic, especially, it’s tough,” she said.

To swell the ranks of candidates who could become school psychologists, 25 Worcester Public School students participated this month in a training program at Worcester State University. Run by UMass Chan Medical School, the four-week program called “Dynamic Futures” exposed students to clinical simulations for a possible career in mental and behavioral health.

New programs to address increased stress/mental health concerns

Several new programs will be piloted in the Worcester schools this year on an experimental basis.

Some will tackle behaviors that resulted in student suspension, a situation that is problematic in the middle and high schools, according to surveys.

● In-school suspensions totaled 198 in 2023 in the middle schools, an uptick from 163 in the 2018-2019 academic year. Out-of-school suspensions totaled 452 in the middle schools in 2023.

●In-school suspensions in the high schools was relatively low (62) in 2023, but jumped to 295 out-of-school suspensions in the same period.

As for new pilot programs, four elementary schools will adopt the “Undercover Bullying Teen Approach”. Azarloza didn’t immediately know the names of the four schools and explained the approach is a “community circle” that includes the student victim, teacher and a few students who are recognized as respected in the school. The bully is also present, but that student isn’t aware that their actions hurt the victim’s feelings when they were invited to join the circle.

The group discussed the situation and the goal is to teach empathy and change behaviors that caused the bullying.

A similar approach is “wellness rooms” that will be in the high schools and middle schools. A student meets with the teacher whose class instruction was interrupted by the student’s behavior. A school adjustment counselor is present and the goal is to reflect on what happened so the student can learn from their actions.

A third program called “restorative practices” will be used in every high school and the Worcester East Middle School. Instead of a home suspension that often resutls in the student and teacher not talking about the causes of the suspension, the student will serve a suspension in the wellness room.

Azarloza explained this approach will give the student a mental health break. In some cases, the student will create an “accountability project” to get a clear perspective on their behaviors and will present it to the class.

Technology tools to meet the challenge

The use of technology is making inroads in mental health care and the Worcester schools will use two tools this school year.

BIMAS-2 will go online in December and the acronym stands for Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System. Developed by EDUMETRISIS, the company’s website said the web-based platform measures behavioral functioning and social, emotional skills in children and adolescents ages pre-k to 18 years.

Azarloza said BIMAS-2 will help the district identify students who are struggling so interventions can occur. Only the school principal, school adjustment counselor and psychologist will have access to the data. So will the student’s family, said Azarloza.

Another tool is a mobile application called Mi Peace developed by Clark University. It will be piloted in some Worcester high schools this fall and will be available in some “wellness rooms,” said Azarloza. The app gives students four components:

● Information about the most common behavioral health concerns

● Students can self-assess how they’re feeling

● Offers strategies to help manage and mitigate causes of stress

● Connects students with a professional that can support their behavioral health needs

How much will these new programs cost?

Azarloza didn’t have the total figure immediately available. Roughly $8 million is budgeted in the 2023-2024 school year for the 95 school adjustment counselors and $2.7 million for 35 psychologists.

Of the total expenses, Azarloza said the majority will be paid from the $146 million Worcester received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Those funds are to be used for pandemic relief.

Within the Act is the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. The monies in the fund are for the safe reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools. They are also to be spent on meeting students’ academic, social, emotional and mental health needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter: @henrytelegram.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: WPS to roll out new strategies for students’ elevated stress and anxiety

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