"It makes my heart so happy that students are coming together to share their experiences and they feel safe doing it," says Superintendent Laurie Dent. "We finally made it safe to talk about race in this district."

Based on recent student interviews about absenteeism, young people at Summit High School are missing class most often because of sickness or mental health issues, family responsibilities, transportation problems and work obligations.

Using data to be proactive, Principal Kelly Wright determined which students could benefit from a short break to refocus in a "sensory room."

The wealthy Northern Virginia school system just outside Washington—the third largest in the state—has been thrust into multiple controversies in recent years over its handling of sexual assaults at two high schools and fiery fights over school masking, equity plans and pronouns.