Supporting students through tough moments is hard work, and it’s not something anyone should have to do alone. That’s why the Cox Academy team is such an incredible partner. Over the years, they’ve built a reputation for being calm, reliable, and always ready to step in when staff and students need them most. They’re not just helping with crises; they’re helping our school build a system to support students’ mental and behavioral health.

One challenge staff have faced is making sure students in crisis get immediate, coordinated support without putting the team, staff, teachers or other students at risk. Before the Cox team’s new system, requests for help could get lost, or multiple staff might respond all at once, creating confusion. The Cox team and teachers needed a clear, reliable process so they could focus on the student in front of them, instead of worrying about who’s coming or when.

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To solve this, the Cox team created a Crisis Response text thread, a simple but powerful tool for crisis support. Here’s how it works: when a teacher notices a student in crisis, they contact the office, and the office posts the request in the thread. Staff respond to the thread with “coming” if they’re available to help, or “unavailable” if they’re already supporting someone else. Once the crisis is over, staff use the text thread to let everyone know the student is back at baseline or meeting their expected behavior. It’s quick, clear, and helps everyone stay on the same page when it matters most.

The results speak for themselves. Staff can instantly know who’s available and who’s responding, making communication and coordination so much smoother. Teachers don’t have to worry about “getting lost in the shuffle,” and students get timely, calm, professional support from the Cox team. The mid-year survey is a real testament to their work. Staff describe the team as knowledgeable in implementing clinical and behavioral interventions, supportive, collaborative, and focused on the whole child. That kind of feedback shows just how much trust and confidence the Cox team has earned across the school.

We want to celebrate the Cox team for showing up, showing out, and modeling teamwork in action. Their thoughtful work norming processes, creating shared language, and fostering trust makes a real difference for staff and students. Your work doesn’t just keep students safe it helps them thrive!