In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton sits down with Matthew Kaemmerer, Director of Pupil Services at Oshkosh Area School District. Serving nearly 10,000 students, Matthew shares how his district transformed its approach to student mental health by moving from reactive crisis response to a proactive, integrated system that supports both students and educators.
Drawing from his background in psychology and education, Matthew reflects on the early challenges he encountered, including alarming mental health trends and student suicide rates. Instead of adding another initiative, he led the development of Rise Up, a comprehensive framework that combines education, early identification, and direct access to mental health services.
This conversation highlights what it takes to create sustainable, system-wide change, how to build strong community partnerships, and why consistency and shared language across schools are critical to success.
Key Moments
04:46 Returning to Oshkosh as a psychologist
08:56 Implementing mental health programs
12:17 Signs of Suicide curriculum overview
14:21 Calibrating programs across schools
17:32 Rise Up program overview
22:10 Evolving focus on emotional learning
24:35 Addressing racial achievement gaps
Why You’ll Love This Episode
If you are thinking about how to move beyond fragmented initiatives and build systems that actually work, this episode delivers. Matthew shares a clear roadmap for creating a cohesive mental health framework that is practical, scalable, and deeply impactful.
You will gain insights into how to align staff, leverage community partnerships, and create structures that support every student, not just those in crisis. It is a powerful example of what is possible when a district commits to long-term, intentional change.
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About Autonome
Autonome is the podcast where district leaders share practical, scalable ways to build students’ foundational life skills—wellbeing, identity and purpose, relationships, and executive function—so they can manage life today and be ready for what’s next.
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