Weston School Committee approves superintendent goals, hears student mental health data

WESTON — October 24, 2022 — Weston School Committee receives data showing 128 secondary students considered suicide in a single year. At the October 24 meeting, Director of Wellness Education Mitch Finnegan and Director of Guidance Marla Shea presented the district's first Metro West Adolescent Health Survey results, showing 72 high school students seriously considered suicide and 21 attempted in the prior 12 months, while roughly 56 middle school students had seriously considered and 16 had attempted at some point in their lives. LGBTQ-identifying students reported serious-consideration rates of 38.6 percent at the high school and 39.3 percent at the middle school, compared with 7.2 and 10.5 percent among other students. Weston Education Association President Ed McLaughlin, in his 23rd year as a middle school teacher, told the board that teachers have been working under an expired 2019 contract since September and called a new agreement "the top priority." Business Manager Sherry Kerivan reported the district returned approximately $1.4 million in unspent FY22 funds to the town, with savings driven largely by unfilled positions and ESSER grant offsets; the committee approved the superintendent's 2022-23 goals unanimously.