Recently released surveillance data from Evanston Township High School revealed that the number of students marked as at risk for suicide and the severity of the suicide risk decreased in the 2022-2023 school year.
Mia Ravizzo, vice principal of student services, said the decrease is thanks to the school’s mental health intervention group.
Lavizzo announced the information, along with other updates on student well-being, during the June 10 School District 202 Board of Education meeting, along with Student Support Services Director Donderayo White and Student Services Director Sarah Long.
“We know how important the well-being of our students is,” said Board of Trustees Chair Pat Savage Williams, “and if they’re not mentally stable, they’re not going to be able to benefit from the incredible academic resources we have here.”
Improved mental health
Mental health statistics at ETHS have continued to improve since the school was established. Record low This was shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began in fall 2021, according to school data.
The number of students marked as at high risk for suicide decreased by 10% from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023. According to the district health reportA total of 153 students were identified as at risk in the 2021-2022 school year, with 37 of those marked as high risk. Those figures have decreased to 138 and 20, respectively, in the 2022-2023 school year.
The number of hospitalized patients also decreased from the 2021-2022 school year. Total 179 people There were 127 students hospitalized. In the 2022-2023 school year, the number of students hospitalized dropped to 127, although 32 students were hospitalized multiple times.
Social work referrals continue to decline. When students show signs of You might need helpTeachers and staff can provide referrals to social workers, or students can make the referrals themselves.
Those referrals fell from 342 in 2022 to 315 in 2023. Social work referrals peaked at 477 in 2020, according to the data.
Lavizzo emphasized the importance of the school’s targeted support groups in these successes.
“It’s been extremely helpful in reducing social work referrals, improving social skills, improving coping skills and improving academic achievement,” Ravizzo said.
These groups will expand in the future to continue to better meet the needs of the students they serve, she said. The team will continue to record information about these groups to better identify adjustments that can be made beyond group support, including curriculum, to better support students.
Referral Statistics Breakdown
“Black or African American students consistently lead the way in referrals,” the report states. “Hispanic or Latino students also show relatively high rates of referrals.”
The report outlines that these referral numbers indicate that these demographic groups need more support. The number of white students referred also indicates that “challenges are not limited to any particular ethnic group.”
Students referred to social services were also more likely to be recipients of free or reduced school meals and therefore to come from low-income families.
Academic Wellness and Readiness
In 2022-2023, the number of students enrolling in college one year after graduating from ETHS decreased for all groups except Hispanic or Latino students, according to the report.
“Some students are deciding to join the military, others are deciding to go to vocational school,” Ravizzo said, “and we’re looking for ways to better support those efforts.”
Number of students receiving academic support 504 Plan also continues to increase, and staff are noticing a high number of cases being managed.
As of the end of the 2022-2023 school year, there are 651 active plans, up from 599 in 2021-2023. The number has grown even more over the course of the school year, White said. Some of these students have left or been expelled, some cases have been closed and some have been moved from 504 plans to individual development plans.
White explained that the high caseload makes it difficult for just two case managers to meet with and support every student.
“The goal is to reach out to all students throughout the school year,” White said, “some students will need more support than others.”
