Candidates say student mental health must be a long‑term priority after pandemic

Mental health emerged as a consistent priority across the school board slate, with candidates urging sustained, age‑appropriate supports in the aftermath of COVID‑19.

Caitlin Sweet said the pandemic had severe and varied impacts across age groups and recommended that mental‑health services be built into schools for years to come: "We' ll be needing to prioritize mental health for kids until the kindergartners of last year graduate," she said. Arianne Herter and Larry Kaplan agreed, with Kaplan describing a prior effort in which his district hired four mental‑health professionals dedicated to students and noting that such supports require sustained funding and community attention.

Incumbent Phil Saucier noted the district has long focused on social‑emotional needs and said ensuring the right professionals and support staff are in place is crucial. Candidates framed mental health as requiring a whole‑community response — teachers, aides, parents and administrators — and said resources, staffing and program continuity should be factored into long‑range budgeting.