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New BRYT program looks to lessen impact long term absences have on Marblehead High School students

Wicked Local North - 9/5/2019

Sep. 5--Missing even one day of school can throw a student off balance, imagine what it's like to miss an extended period of days or even weeks.

Marblehead High School Vice Principal Lynsey Page thought a lot about that and as a result, is introducing a new program this school year to help those students that, for whatever reason, find themselves in that position.

Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition, BRYT, is a program designed to, as the name implies, bridge the gap between students who have been absent for a significant amount of time and are trying to slide back into school.

"We've all seen the effect it has when a student tries to integrate back into school," said Page.

Student can struggle with anxiety, particularly if the absence includes a hospital stay, and they tend to fall far behind in their academic work, Page said. Hospital stays can lead to academic isolation as well as social isolation, she added.

During the 2017-18 school year, 31 MHS students were out for extended, long term absence; 17 were medical related and 14 were for mental health reasons. Those numbers jumped in 2018-219, with 35 extended absences where only five were for bereavement or medical reasons and 30 were for mental health issues. Page noted several students had repeated hospitalizations.

The BRYT program, which Principal Daniel Bauer said they will likely rename, aims at helping students return to school, develop resilience, maintain social connections and complete their academics. It will focus on reducing drop out rates, recidivism of student hospitalization and sending students to out-of-district programs.

"It also reduces the stigma that goes along with mental health issues," Page added.

The way it works is by creating collaborative networks with faculty members not only in school, but online as well, Page said.

"So we're not just putting students out there with no point of reference," she explained.

Team member will include a licensed clinician who will provide daily supports, academic solutions such as online classes and collaborating with MHS staff and weekly check-is with parents and family members.

It's about meeting students where they are at, Page said.

All the planning will also include a re-entry program designed specifically for a given student. Page said some might come back to school full time right out of the gate, but others may need to ease into it more slowly.

School Committee member Sarah Fox asked what exactly constituted an extended absence.

"Home or hospitalization totaling 14 days," Page said.

Page also said the program isn't only for students suffering from mental health issues.

"It could be a concussion or bereavement," she said, but noted the increase is in students with mental health problems.

Statistics show that one in five adolescents have a serious mental health disorder, she said.

The program is being funded for one year with a $105,000 grant of which:

* $53,768 is for a program based licensed clinician

* $27,320 is for an academic tutor

* $14,559 covers health insurance and retirement

* $4,000 is to be put toward online academic programs

* $353 for classroom supplies

* $5,000 for professional development from the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Interim Superintendent William McAlduff said they will look for grants to sustain the program beyond the current one year time frame.

"We don't want to be in the position where we're one and done," he said. "We will work hard to prevent that."

School Committee member Meagan Taylor said she's thrilled with the program.

"This is the population of students I was really concerned about so I'm really happy about this," she said.

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