School strengthens student support programs

In collaboration with CASSY (Counseling and Support Services for Youth), a therapeutic service adopted last year, a new program is aiming to strengthen support systems on campus.

ASSIST (Accommodating Saratoga Students with Intervention, Support and Therapy) is geared toward students who are struggling in school and may need additional school-related, social or emotional support, according to Megan Hunt, the head of ASSIST.

“[It’s] a safe place on campus for students,” Hunt said. “This new program gives students a place to go to or is just a quiet space [for them], and for some students that will make a huge difference in their ability to attend classes or be a part of the Saratoga High community.”

The classroom for ASSIST, room H03, is located in the H-wing by the office, next door to CASSY services. For those who need therapy as well as the academic support, a CASSY therapist works with ASSIST directly to accommodate all the students’ needs, Hunt said.

The H-wing building is now designated solely for student aid and also houses The Learning Center (TLC), which used to reside in a portable in the back parking lot. It is still used primarily for students with learning disabilities, according to assistant principal Brian Safine.

ASSIST offers flexibility to match the different academic situations of each individual. Students can work on their own online courses in the ASSIST classroom and stay connected to the campus if needed. For example, students who have missed a whole year of school or receive home or hospital instruction would benefit from this service.     

In addition to implementing the new ASSIST program, the administration has tried to make off-campus support available to all students. Phone numbers for the National Crisis Hotline and the EMQ Mobile Crisis are listed on a sticker on the back of every student’s ID card.

“We want everyone to feel like they have support outside of school, as well as at school,” Safine said.