Brockton Schools Subcommittee Launches Bullying Plan Review, Eyes Staffing Gaps

BROCKTON -- August 26, 2025, Brockton School Committee's new Mental Health and Well-Being Subcommittee held its first meeting, centering on a full district briefing on bullying prevention programs and a candid acknowledgment of counseling staff shortages. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Labillo told the subcommittee the district is opening the school year with nine school psychologists against a recommended complement of roughly 32 for its 16,000-student enrollment, and that the district's bullying prevention plan is overdue for a community-informed revision. Labillo reported school discipline incidents declined from 3,338 in 2022 to 1,565 in 2025, with exclusionary discipline dropping from 2,881 to 1,557 over the same period, attributing the trend to retraining and expanded restorative practices. Director of Health Dennis Gennich and SEL staff described a multi-layered prevention framework spanning the HealthSmart curriculum, the Character Strong SEL program, a 70-student peer mediation program at Brockton High School, and a summer transition institute for at-risk rising ninth graders. Subcommittee members Jorge Vega, Mr. Gomes, Ms. Azak, and Ms. Leza called for broader community outreach, a more visible online presence for mental health resources, and future sessions on sex trafficking prevention, suicide intervention, and peer mentoring in middle schools.