A resource-based program within Naperville School District 203 designed to assist students with mental health support is showing fruitful results, officials announced recently.
RISE was first introduced in Naperville 203 in 2019 and, over time, has grown. The acronym stands for Removing barriers, Individualized support plans, Services for students, and Empowering families.
A look into the program and its origins
Melissa McHenry, assistant superintendent for student services, was one of multiple Naperville 203 staffers who provided insight into the program by way of a report at a board of education meeting Monday, May 4.
At its core, McHenry said RISE is intended to remove obstacles that are presented in students’ lives, impacting their quality of life and ability to perform in school. She described RISE as a “powerful barrier breaker.”
“We are closing the gap between students needing help and students actually receiving it,” she said. “By dismantling these barriers to mental healthcare, we are ensuring that every student in our district, no matter their school or specific challenge, has a clear, stable path toward wellbeing and academic success.”
An “it takes a village” approach is at the heart of the program, McHenry added, with social workers, counselors, and school administrators all taking part in linking students in need with outside community resources.
In her report, McHenry also provided a look back at the program’s early phase, when about 25 students were served.
“A focus group was formed in 2019 to learn about how we can build supports for students and families as the school district was seeing an increase in behavioral needs for students,” McHenry said in explaining RISE’s origins.
Partnerships with local organizations have been the backbone of RISE. Amit Thaker, founder of ReferralGPS, one of the program partners, was on hand at the board meeting to discuss his involvement.
“I started this organization with a mission to really help improve access to care,” Thaker said. “It’s often a complex maze to try and figure out where to go to, even if you decided you needed help. We decided to partner with schools and communities to help navigate this complex, overwhelming system.”
Student achievement scores outline success
In more recent years, participation has increased to triple-digit figures. This year, 146 Naperville 203 students, districtwide, have been looped into the RISE program. In the 2024-25 school year, 118 students participated.
Students within the program have also shown marked improvement in their achievement as RISE’s growth has continued. Last April, for instance, 81% of participants had passing grades; this year, the number increased to 100%.
“These students bring our data to life,” McHenry said. “It shows that when we talk about barriers to accessing mental health services, we aren’t just discussing logistics. We are talking about real students, who are unable to connect with mental health services or were stuck in a cycle of crisis.”
Board members express gratitude for RISE
Naperville 203 board members weighed in and offered up questions on RISE’s impact, and the program’s growth in recent years, at the meeting.
“This is really a program that should be highlighted in this district,” board member Joseph Kozminski said. “Thank you for your great work on this program.”
Most — but not all — of Naperville 203’s nearly two-dozen schools have at least one student who has been a part of RISE. Kozminski inquired about the small handful of schools that have not been a part of it.
“We do have some schools that have not provided any referrals,” McHenry confirmed. “The purpose of RISE is to provide services to students who have barriers. Maybe at the school, there’s not the barriers that have the criteria for RISE, but we do try as hard as we can to make sure the staff are aware of it and that they understand the referral process.”
Board member Amanda McMillen lauded the partnerships, noting they are “meeting a need in our school community, where our kids are, especially with areas around anxiety and school avoidance and depression.”
Board President Charles Cush gave the overall program high marks, pointing to the correlation between the mental health supports and improved academic scores.
“It just shows the power of when you’re able to get out from under a situation,” Cush said. “This isn’t about individuals who don’t have the potential to be able to succeed and be successful. They just need some way to break through that barrier that’s stopping them. The results are just amazing.”
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