A presenter acknowledged that suicide prevention education for grades six through eight needs to be strengthened and documented. Staff said they would follow up on questions about middle and high school instruction and health teacher qualifications. A policy revision may reach the policy subcommittee in October or November.
Cumberland, R.I. — A Cumberland School Committee member pressed district staff at Thursday night’s meeting on whether required suicide-prevention training is actually reaching students and staff. The discussion followed public testimony from a parent who said their high school student had attempted suicide.
School Committee Member Jason Dean asked whether the district is following its own suicide-prevention policy, known as H6. He said he believed it was not, and tied the issue to questions he raised at the committee’s previous meeting about hazing and bullying training. This account is drawn from the Cumberland School Committee’s published meeting recording…