Case Study: Enhancing Student Mental Health and Well-Being with Student Aware

Central to their strategy is the use of Student Aware, a real-time digital monitoring tool designed to identify early signs of student distress, including potential self-harm, school violence, or other concerning behaviours. This case study outlines how WCDSB effectively integrates technology into its well-being framework to ensure safer and healthier learning environments for all students.

• Commitment to Mental Health: WCDSB has made student mental health a strategic priority, with a comprehensive system in place that promotes early intervention, emotional resilience, and a culture of care.
• Proactive, Preventive Framework: Through intentional daily practices, accessible support teams, and collaboration across departments, the board aims to identify and respond to student needs early and effectively.

WCDSB’s Mental Health and Well-Being Approach

🧘🏽 Daily Wellness Practices: WCDSB incorporates calming routines, mindfulness techniques, and stress management strategies into the school day to normalize mental wellness as part of everyday life.

🤝 Collaborative Support Network: A multi-disciplinary “circle of support” includes school staff, counsellors, mental health professionals, and external agencies, ensuring that no student falls through the cracks.

🫶🏼 Safe and Supportive Schools Strategy: WCDSB has clear protocols for conflict resolution, immediate response to incidents, and structured follow-up, all contributing to a safe and inclusive school climate.

“We are really grateful to have another way to reach and secure the safety, well-being, and integrity of our students - whether they are in front of us or behind a screen.” – Judy Merkel, Superintendent of Education at WCDSB

Leveraging Student Aware to Strengthen Student Supports

• Real-Time Monitoring for Early Intervention: Student Aware operates through a Chrome/Edge browser extension, continuously monitoring online activity for signs of distress or risk, such as self-harm content, bullying, or violent ideation.
  
  
• Privacy-Conscious and Secure: Student Aware protects student privacy by securely flagging only content that meets predefined thresholds, granting access to authorized personnel only, and auto-deleting flagged items after 30 days.
  
  
• Insightful Analytics for Decision-Making: The platform’s live dashboard and data visualizations enable school staff to detect trends, manage interventions, and track progress—all in real time.

 "The use of the Student Aware program at WCDSB has significantly strengthened our commitment to student safety and well-being. By identifying potentially concerning online search activity, the program allows school staff to respond early and connect students with appropriate support. This is not about monitoring for discipline; it’s about protecting well-being, preventing crisis, and ensuring every student knows they matter.  We are proud of the work we do in partnership with Student Aware; it is not an exaggeration to say that this program can be lifesaving." – Alison Messmer, MSW, RSW | Student Aware Coordinator, WCDSB

Results and Outcomes

• Timely Identification of At-Risk Students: WCDSB staff report that Student Aware enables them to respond to concerns earlier and more effectively, often before behaviours escalate.
  
  
• Improved Coordination and Response: The tool facilitates seamless collaboration between teachers, counsellors, and administrators, ensuring that student needs are addressed quickly and comprehensively.
  
  
• Data-Driven Impact: Early metrics show reductions in high-risk incidents and increased student access to mental health supports, demonstrating how technology can enhance human-led support systems.
  
  

“Students that would not have been on our radar - now we know they are safe and getting the support they need.” – Judy Merkel, Superintendent of Education at WCDSB

Students identified through Student Aware receive a supportive response by Administrators that includes mitigating risk, engaging parents, recommendations to access community-based mental health support, referral to school social worker and hospital intervention for those presenting with suicidal ideation. Between September 2024 and April 2025, 32 new referrals to school social work resulted from a student awareness flag. This compares to 25 during the 2023-2024 school year. These are students who received supportive interventions that might not have been identified otherwise.

WCDSB’s approach to student well-being is a leading example of how policy, practice, and technology can come together to create safe, supportive, and responsive school environments. Student Aware plays a pivotal role in this success by providing the actionable insights needed to detect risk early and empower staff to intervene effectively. This model offers a replicable framework for school districts nationwide seeking to enhance student mental health outcomes through innovation and collaboration.

“At first we thought this would be more for school safety - and it does help there - but we’ve found it now fully supports our mental health and well-being initiatives.” – Judy Merkel, Superintendent of Education at WCDSB

Hear from Judy Merkel, Superintendent of Education at WCDSB, to learn more about their approach here: Community Connections | Judy Merkel | Waterloo Catholic District School Board

You can also check out our recent Community Connection roundtable conversation called Connection Before Correction with Erin Schreiter and Nikki Stewart from WCDSB, and Scot Gillam from Limestone DSB here: Connection Before Correction | Discussion Panel Recording