When one thinks of the acronym “SAT” in terms of high school education, it’s nearly always the hours-long college admissions Scholastic Aptitude Test that comes to mind. For students at Newton Senior High School, however, SAT means something a little different.

Prior to the 2012-2013 school year, the NHS used a rather informal process when it came to helping students deal with issues at risk of affecting academic performance, such as behavioral problems and substance abuse. As classes began last fall, however, the process was formalized by Newton’s own SAT: the Student Assistance Team. 

“There used to be a team that was comprised of Cassia (Nolin, NHS counselor) and two admininstrators, but that was the extent of the team prior to this year,” NHS counselor Don Arends explained. “At the end of last school year, YSS [Youth Shelter and Services] was contracted to work with us and with students with various issues, so at the start of this year we began the SAT team in earnest.”