By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


The Howell Public Schools Board of Education has approved a program that aims to help enhance their student mental health model.

Before the pandemic began, the Howell High School Lighthouse youth group began advocating for a change to the district’s health course curriculum. The students, recognizing the mental health needs of their peers in the LGBTQ community, spent the past year working their request through the proper channels. It was presented to the Board of Education in June, and immediately became a hotly debated topic between those who wanted it implemented and those who felt LGBTQ mental health has no place in a required course.

The debate continued at Monday’s meeting which had over 100 in attendance even though the curriculum change request has been essentially tabled and wasn’t on the agenda.

What was being proposed was a new initiative called OneHowell. Instead of changing the health course curriculum, the district will be adding a full-time mental health specialist at the high school that will provide services for students and make recommendations for additional mental health supports in the district. It also revisits the district’s Adaptive Plan with a OneHowell committee consisting of approximately 20 members. These members will be made up of staff, parents, students and community partners that will work to assess the mental health needs of all students.

Superintendent Erin MacGregor said he thinks the OneHowell program is a balance in terms of how they make sure they are being transparent with what they are trying to do. He said he is staying true to the fact that they are trying to highlight the needs of some students and make sure that all students understand those needs.

MacGregor said there were a lot of voices that came through that they needed to hear in this and he hopes the students who wanted the change don’t feel disappointed. He said OneHowell will let them include even more voices so that they can come back with an even more enhanced proposal. Once formed and operational, the committee will provide a status update to the Board of Education in the winter, and bring forward any recommendations for approval in the spring.