Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School, which includes students from Middleboro, has received a $43,800 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to support social-emotional learning, mental health, and wellness initiatives.

The announcement was made by the school’s Superintendent Alexandre Magalhaes, Principal Karen Guenette, and Special Education Coordinator Amy Cohen.

 The grant is part of a $5.54 million statewide funding initiative announced by the administration of Gov. Maura Healey to expand behavioral and mental health services for students across Massachusetts. 

 This $43,800 grant will allow Bristol-Plymouth to continue and expand its work fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment through several key initiatives, including the following:

Sustaining Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, which was established through Bristol-Plymouth’s participation in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Inclusive Academy and Literacy Academy, will continue to refine and implement an action plan to support students at all three intervention tiers.

Launching a Positive Behavior Intervention Support Committee, which will focus on promoting social-emotional competence, academic and vocational success, and a positive school climate through restorative intervention practices.

Developing a staff and teacher resource for restorative intervention strategies. The school’s assistant principal will collaborate with the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Committee and the Positive Behavior Intervention Support Committee. They will create a Google classroom as a resource to provide teachers and staff with strategies and a guidebook for repairing student relationships, resolving conflicts and otherwise dealing with disruptions to the classroom and shop learning environment.

Bringing in an expert mental health speaker. The grant will fund a student assembly featuring a mental health and emotional skills coach. Outreach is now underway to secure an expert speaker in May for Mental Health Awareness Month.

Expanding access to virtual mental health support. With the grant funding, Bristol-Plymouth will purchase 25 additional slots through Cartwheel, a trusted provider of virtual therapy sessions for students, ensuring access to mental health counseling in less than 24 hours from sign-up. This will provide timely support to students rather than making them wait for months for a local in-person appointment.