Our Mission, in partnership with the community, is to meet the social-emotional and behavioral health needs of all learners, building our students' resilience to support them in reaching their greatest potential in a safe and supportive learning environment.

Student Code of Conduct

Students distracted by distressing emotions are less available for listening, watching, absorbing, and retaining information. Without appropriate supports, students are at risk for more severe behavioral health difficulties. Schools are a hub for behavioral health services for students and families, and research shows that students are 6x more likely to complete evidence-based interventions in schools versus other community settings (See the NH MTSS-B Technical Assistance Center's Supporting Literature).

The Manchester School District is committed to improving outcomes for youth in its schools by implementing NH’s Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavioral Health and Wellness (MTSS-B) framework per the Children's System of Care for Children's Mental Health (*Chapter 135-F). In collaboration with community partners, the school district will implement tiered supports in the schools to address behavioral health and school safety, with referral pathways to services for school aged youth and families. The MTSS-B framework is a data driven comprehensive system of social-emotional and behavioral supports to improve attendance, engagement in learning, and academic outcomes for all students. This comprehensive, collaborative framework between schools, families, and community partners is proactive and preventative, coordinating behavioral health practices to create a consistent, safe, and positive environment for all students and staff - which is the foundation for a trauma-informed school.

School-family partnerships are strengthened through this intentional, integrated approach to choosing and implementing evidence-based interventions to support student behavioral health needs (nhmtssb.org) . MTSS-B can provide a useful structure to help school teams proactively organize their efforts to engage with families. When families contribute to decisions about student intervention and treatment, educators may be more successful in planning and delivering productive supports. Furthermore, involving families in decision-making allows them to take a more active role in supporting their student’s learning and behavior at home, which can contribute to improved student outcomes (Read More Here).

A Mental Health Awareness & School Safety campaign is in development through Project AWARE with messaging for students and families so they know where to go for behavioral health support and how to report concerns about school safety.

*(135-F:3) The system of care shall have the following characteristics (click link for full definition - below is the excerpt pertaining to MTSS-B):

(l) Statewide use of the multi-tiered system of supports for behavioral health and wellness, or MTSS-B, in New Hampshire schools to address New Hampshire students' social, emotional, and behavioral health needs in order to improve students' educational outcomes and keep students in their home schools and communities. For the purposes of this chapter, a "multi-tiered system of supports for behavioral health and wellness" or "MTSS-B" shall include:
(1) A school wide system of evidence-based behavioral practices for all students;
(2) A targeted system of practices for youth who need additional support; and
(3) A tertiary system of intensive and individualized interventions for students with the greatest behavioral needs.

Questions? Comments? Input?

Contact the Office of Behavioral Health Promotion, Prevention & Intervention

schampey@mansd.org