Student Support Team

The Student Support Team (SST) is a collaborative problem-solving group of school and related professionals who meet weekly. Each team is composed of an administrator, qualified teacher and student support staff member as well as other staff invited for specific student referrals. The goal of the SST is to address problems in a timely manner (by the next scheduled SST meeting unless it is a crisis situation, then follow the District crisis procedures) to help students achieve. This process includes supporting at-risk students and attempting to resolve difficulties within the educational setting using team problem-solving. Support occurs through the implementation of programmatic interventions (academic, instructional, behavioral, health and emotional) and may include the student’s participation in group interventions meant to address the specific needs of the referred student. In some cases individualized, intensive interventions may be recommended. The emphasis of the SST is to design and monitor interventions that meet the student’s needs and produce positive, measurable learning outcomes. Families can be directly involved in SST. In all cases families should be informed of the interventions and the student’s progress related to those interventions. Once the parent/guardian is informed of the presenting problems and building concerns, the student may be requested to attend one of the SST meetings as well.

What is an intervention?
- An intervention is a new strategy or modification of instruction or behavior management designed to help a student improve performance relative to a specific goal.

How is the effectiveness of an intervention measured?
- Data is gathered throughout the implementation of the intervention in order to see if it is working for the child.

Are parents involved in the process?
- Parent input should always be sought because parents know their children best and often have unique information and ideas to share.

What skills are needed by the team?
- Teaming requires good listening and collaboration skills

Some Early Warning Signs

• Poor School Attendance
• Social Withdrawal
• Excessive Feelings of Isolation
• Excessive Feelings of Rejection
• Being a Victim of Violence
• Feelings of Being Picked On and Persecuted
• Low School Interest and Poor Academic Performance
• Expression of Violence in Writings and Drawings
• Uncontrolled Anger
• Patterns of Impulsive and Chronic Hitting, Intimidating and Bullying
• History of Discipline Problems
• Past History of Violent and Aggressive Behavior
• Intolerance for Differences and Prejudicial Attitudes
• Drug Use and Alcohol Use
• Affiliation with Gangs
• Inappropriate Access to, Possession of and Use of Firearms
• Serious Threats of Violence

Imminent Warning Signs

*No single warning sign can predict that a dangerous act will occur. Rather, imminent warning signs usually are presented as a sequence of overt, serious, hostile behaviors or threats directed at the peers, staff or other individuals (usually evident to more than one person as well as the family).

May include some of the following:

• Serious physical fighting with peers or family members
• Severe destruction of property
• Severe rage for seemingly minor reasons
• Detailed threats of lethal violence
• Possession and/or use of firearms and other weapons
• Other self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide.