School counselors tell Maple School District board anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts rose in recent survey

School counseling staff told the Maple School District School Board on March 18 that a recent survey and local screening tools indicate rising mental‑health needs among students.

The counseling team said the percentage of students reporting significant problems with anxiety rose from about 42% in an earlier survey to about 48% in the most recent results, and that female students reported much higher rates — the counselors cited about 68% for females in the most recent high‑school sample. Self‑reported prolonged sadness rose from roughly 30% to 36%, the counselors said, and students who said they had seriously considered suicide increased from about 14% to 16%. The counselors added that roughly 12% of surveyed students reported having created a suicide plan — a figure they estimated represents about 45 high‑school students.

"It was alarming," a member of the district counseling team said as they reviewed the data with the board, adding that counselors also saw increases in risky behaviors, late‑night phone use and food insecurity. Counselors reported that about 17% of high‑school students — roughly 70 students in their estimate — experienced hunger due to lack of resources in the 30 days before the survey.

Why it matters: the counselors said the findings affect safety, daily instruction and students’ ability to remain in class. They described how staffing limits and provider shortages reduce the district’s ability to provide ongoing school‑based care: one outside provider, a therapist from Lake Superior Community Health Center, recently resigned and left the high school without the same level of coverage. Counselors said current school‑based coverage includes partial‑day placements and interns, with 22 students receiving school‑based mental‑health services at the high school through partners such as SOAR and North Lakes Clinic.

Board members pressed counselors for clarifications about measures and service levels. A board member asked whether the survey captured coping mechanisms such as vaping, nicotine or marijuana use; the counselors confirmed those items were included. Administrators and counselors said they will forward the middle‑school YRBS results to the board once they are available and will continue reporting key findings in quarterly updates.

The counseling team said they use the district data when applying for grants and in coordinating community responses; they described a prior district grant application for mental‑health supports (a $75,000 application mentioned), and said state distribution decisions affected expected funding levels. Counselors also described school interventions — mentoring, small groups, individual support and coordination with inpatient or community programs — and urged continued district support to expand or stabilize school‑based services.

Next steps: the counselors will provide the board with the middle‑school YRBS results when they arrive, continue to use the data for grant and partnership development, and coordinate with the district on staffing and referral pathways. The board did not take a formal vote on new staff at the March 18 meeting; counselors emphasized the persistent gap between student need and available clinician time.