Lexington County School District One recently highlighted mental health and safety services in place, including vape detector installations underway, across the district at its recent board meeting. 

Superintendent Keith Price said the district upgraded cameras at all middle and high schools and that every school in the district has a school resource officer. Additionally, 33 active-shooter training sessions were held and 563 drills were conducted. 

Student mental health has become a growing concern in recent years.

The CDC reported that one in seven people ages three to 17 has a mental illness. In 2023, four in 10 (40%) high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless, while two in 10 (20%) seriously considered suicide. One in 10 (10%) attempted suicide.

Lexington County School District One has mental wellness teams in every school. These teams, Price said, meet regularly to discuss students who need extra support. During the 2024-25 school year, 230 meetings were held.

The district conducts suicide screenings whenever a student makes a comment or reference to suicide. During the 2024-25 school year, the district conducted 696 screenings, a slight uptick from the 572 the previous year.

There were also 4,518 social worker referrals during the 2024-25 school year.

Additionally, the district collaborates with outside agencies that provide related services. These include Moonbug Pediatric Therapy, Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center, LifeChanges Family Guidance and Wellness, Lexington County Community Mental Health and Pathways to Healing. 

These agencies are available to families who choose to use them. In total, 1,565 students were served. Of those, 1,473 were seen in person on campus, while the others received services in agency offices.

Services are also available for employees. The district has safety protocols for when an employee does not report to work and references self-harm. The employee assistance program also offers support through Telus Health. 

Board member McKenzie Flashnick said it is important for the board to have proactive conversations about safety.

“Our board needs to take a step to have consistent conversations about safety in our district, mental health with our students and how technology in today’s environment plays into our students' safety,” she said. 

Flashnick said that the district’s policies on technology have become outdated and suggested the board review and update the policies at a later date. 

Price mentioned the district has identified 171 students who can benefit from McKinney-Vento Services, which defines homelessness as lacking “a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”

The district provides these students with services including personalized planning, pantry and supplies, transportation, tutoring, partnerships with different organizations and more. 

The next regular board meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m., in the auditorium of the North Lake Community Learning Center.