As the first quarter of the school year comes to a close, Baltimore County district leaders have two main priorities on the agenda: student well-being and the 2024-25 operating budget.
Starting in November, all highschoolers will gain access to virtual mental health and meditation services through an app called TalkSpace, Superintendent Myriam Rogers announced in a press conference on Tuesday.
“Our students are always on their devices,” Rogers said. “Many times, many of the things that impact them negatively are found on their devices. And sometimes they need someone to speak to right away.”
The new app will allow schools to address the “endemic” of mental health needs students face today, Rogers said, despite persisting shortages in mental health providers nationwide.
“Every way that we can close the gap between resources and student needs, that’s what we're committed to doing,” she said.
Rogers said mental health professionals in Baltimore County schools have been working diligently to support students and staff impacted by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
“I know that the terror, loss of life, and turmoil has caused great fear and worry for many members of our local and global community,” Rogers said. “Our counselors, school psychologists and administrators have done a phenomenal job supporting students and creating safe spaces for students and staff to process their thoughts and feelings about what is happening.”
The superintendent said no hate-related instances have occurred in county schools in the past few weeks. But the district did send out materials in early October to families and teachers, offering guidance on how to have conversations about the crisis with students.
“So while we have not seen any kind of uptick in terms of our schools and offices, we have provided those resources and we stand at the ready,” Rogers said.
Rogers also said that there tends to be “an uptick in disruptive behaviors during the second and third marking periods” of the school year. In the first quarter, three loaded firearms were confiscated in a school building.
“That is simply unacceptable,” Rogers said. “Let me be clear, if a student brings a firearm into one of our school buildings, they will receive at minimum a one-year expulsion.”
School safety is one of many budget items being evaluated by district leaders ahead of finalizing the 2024-25 school year operating budget. Rogers said this will be a “challenging budget cycle” for the county, and districts nationwide. That’s because COVID-era emergency school funding, known as ESSER, will expire by September 2024, Rogers said.
“Additionally, there are significant new expenses associated with the Blueprint for Maryland's Future legislation which also need to be covered,” she added.
All departments have to justify each line item for their budget proposals, Rogers said. Her top priorities are maintaining funds for the 15-minute extended school day schedule, and incentives for bus drivers and special educators rolled out this year – both of which were funded by ESSER.
“That means that we have to work differently as we put the budget together,” Rogers said.
The district has hosted two out of five community meetings about the budget to answer parent questions and hear concerns. The third session happens Wednesday at Loch Raven High School.
