FARMINGTON — Rising absenteeism and a sharp increase in student dysregulation are prompting new classroom strategies and staffing efforts at Cape Cod Hill Community School, Principal Carol Kiesman and Superintendent Christian Elkington told the Regional School Unit 9 board of directors on April 14.

Kiesman said behavioral incidents “are increasing, dramatically,” describing a pattern that fluctuates but continues to trend upward.

In response, the school has expanded regulated classroom spaces designed to help students manage emotions and return to learning more quickly.

“These spaces offer students opportunities to have additional movement breaks and ways to safely express how they are feeling, being able to put their emotions into words,” Kiesman said.

Elkington said earlier, targeted intervention is central to the district’s approach, though staffing shortages delayed implementation.

“It was very difficult for us to find staffing for the four behavior intervention supports people that we had tried to start at the beginning of the year,” he said.

“If you can get to a kid and work with a kid on an individual way earlier, then they’re not going to get to the worst example,” Elkington added.

Kiesman said early results from one new staff member are encouraging. “He has done an incredible job and I have seen far fewer misbehaviors,” she said.

Both also linked expanded before- and after-school programming to improved attendance and more stable daily routines, allowing staff to identify and respond to student needs earlier in the day.

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