The Student Support Team (SST):

Referral Questions and Protocol

The Fessenden SchoolSeptember 1, 2010

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Definition of the Student Support Team

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The Student Support Team provides comprehensive academic, psychological,

emotional, and health support services to children of all ages. This team

works with parents, teachers, the Division Head, the Head Nurse, and the

Skills Center to understand the individual needs of a student and implement

appropriate remedial services when issues of an emotional, health, or

academic nature arise. The team is directed by the School

Psychologist and the Assistant Headmaster. Student

Support Team meetings are held throughout the academic

year and regular follow-up with parents is encouraged.

Teachers and parents may request a referral to the team by

contacting the School Psychologist.

From the Student and Parent Handbook (Revised 2007):

When to Make a Referral to the SST

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Generally speaking, a referral to the Student Support Team is appropriate

in each of the following cases:

• Mental health issues appear to be significantly impacting a child’s academic, athletic, or social performance

Affective

Disorders (5-9%)

Disruptive Behavior

Disorders (7-10%)

Anxiety

Disorders (6-18%)

Generalized AnxietySeparation AnxietyOCDSimple Phobias

Panic Disorder

ADD, AD/HDConduct DisorderOppositional Defiant

DepressionBipolar Disorder

•Explicit mention of self-harm or threat of harming another.

This may include graphic depictions of violence within

writing and/or artistic assignments, repeated reference to

school shootings, concerning comments made to others

boys, parent reports of violence/self-harm at home, etc.

When to Make a Referral to the SST

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•Recurrent physical complaints (e.g., stomach aches, headaches)that have not remitted despite the involvement of the Health

Center and for which there is no known underlying medical cause

•Asignificant psychosocial change has occurred that you feel has the potential to impact a child’s health, happiness, social life, and/or academic

performance (e.g., death in the family, serious illness, divorce, etc.)

•Anyknowledge or suspicion of sexual and/or physical

abuse involving a child, whether that child is enrolled at Fessenden or not (e.g., the brother of a student of yours)

• A pattern of unexplained absences that you feel has notbeen adequately addressed by parents or caregivers

•Learning differences (e.g., dyslexia, NVLDs) that continueto impact a child’s academic achievement despite the

prior involvement of The Skills Center or Academic Tutoring

When to Make a Referral to the SST

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•Any request for educational or therapeutic services that are not presentlyprovided by the school and have previously been discussed with parents:

What we have: What we do not have:

Occupational therapyNeuropsychological (LD) AssessmentSpeech and Language supportSocial pragmatics groups

One-to-one psychotherapy

Academic tutoring servicesOrganizational supportMathematics evaluationMathematics remedial support

Reading/writing evaluationReading/writing remedial supportFood and Friends GroupStudent advisors

• Sudden and inexplicable changes in a boy’s academic performance, social network, teacher/advisor relations,

athletic activities, or appearance that may signal the

emergence of emotional issues

How to Make a Referral to the SST

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Making a referral to the Student Support team is as easy as 123Step one: Communicate your concerns to the Division Head and the

student’s advisor (when applicable)

Step two: Request a SST referral form from the Upper,

Middle, or Lower school office

Step three: Complete the form in as much detail as

possible and put a signed copy, with your signature and

the Division Head’s, in the School Psychologist’s mailbox

located in Arlene’s office. Keep a copy for your records.

What To Expect when a Referral is Made to the SST

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Although each case is different, the general steps taken after a Student

Support Team referral is received include the following:

Confirmation

e-mail/phone call

indicating that the

referral has been

received

Coordinate time to

discuss the referral in

person with you and

the Division Head

Present information

regarding the child at

once-weekly Early

Intervention Team

Meeting

Communicate with

parents over the

phone or in person to

discuss the SST referral

and collect more info.

Full chart review and

observation of the

child in the classroom

or direct meeting in

my office

Conversation with teachers, coaches,

advisors, etc., to

collect additional

information

Develop/Discuss

interventions based

on the individual

needs of the child

and assign SST roles

Coordinate an SST

meeting with the

family and all support

players to discuss our

recommendations

Implement SST recommendations:

Follow-up with

teachers/advisors to

determine success

Allocation of Time to SST Referrals (in minutes)

8

5

45

45

60

60

30

60

120

Confirmation E-mail

Discussion of referral with you and the Division Head

Conversation with teachers, coaches, advisors, etc.

Speaking with parents

Chart review and observation

Presentation at weekly EIT meeting

SST meeting with family

Implementation and follow-up

Total Time per referral = 7 hours, 5 min

Referrals By The Numbers (2009-2010)

Total Number of Referrals = 66

20

17

10

3

12

4

Academic Concerns

Social Emotional Concerns

Attention/Classroom Behavior

Occupational Therapy

Testing Referrals

Speech Language Concerns

Frequently Asked Questions

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What should I do if I’m worried about a boy but it doesn’t seem to

warrant a Student Support Team referral?

What if a boy requests a meeting with you? Should I still fill-out the

Student Support Team referral form? Where should I send him?

Do you have regular office hours? What are they?

What if the issue does not involve a boy, but rather,

something that I’m dealing with personally?

When should I refer to the Student Support Team and

when should I refer to the Skills Center?

I made a referral, like, a week ago but I haven’t heard

anything? What gives?