[1. Meeting Opening]
[2. Information Items]
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>> PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE
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TO IT IS FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA[00:10:46]
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, * TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST, TEST,US YOU. >> WE ALSO KNOW THAT MS. BEHAVIF THAT BEHAVIOR, AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT THESE THREE RULES REALLY HELP US DO THAT. AND EXPANDING THEM WILL HELP US DO IT EVEN BETTER.
SO BEFORE WE CALL OUR GUESTS UP TO SPEAK I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TIER AND HIS WHAT THAT MEANS. IN EDUCATION, WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TIERS. TIER ONE IS WHAT WE DO FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ARE AT TIER ONE OF THE CORE OF WHATEVER WE DO IS ENOUGH FOR THEM AND THAT'S ALL THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORT IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. SOME STUDENTS NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT AND WE WOULD CALL THAT TIER TWO.
SOME STUDENTS MOVE UP TO TIER WOULD AND WE GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND WE GO BACK TO TIER ONE AND THEY DON'T NEED SUPPORT ANYMORE.
TIER THREE IS THE SMALLER SUBSET OF STUDENTS THAT REALLY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS, MORE TARGETED INTERVENTION THAT HIS MIGHT LAST A LITTLE BIT LONGER. I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR GUESTS TO COME UP AND SPEAK AND
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SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR ROLES.>> HI. I'M JEN LANTZ, SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT FISHER'S ELEMENTARY. I'VE BEEN IN MY ROLE THERE SEVEN YEARS AND I ALSO HAVE THREE KIDS IN THE DISTRICT, TOO. SO I'M THE ONLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR HERE TODAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT MY ROLE LOOKS LIKE. IT LOOKS REALLY DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, THE JUNIOR HIGH AND THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR. SO REALLY, FOR TIER ONE, I'M GOING INTO CLASSROOMS AND PROVIDING CLASSROOM LESSONS. A LOT OF TIMES I'M ASKING THE TEACHERS, WHAT DO THEY THINK THEIR STUDENT NEEDS? AND SO I'D LIKE TO DIFFERENTIATE IN THE CLASSROOM, DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE THAT THE TEACHER SEES FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. I ALSO AM ON THE FRONT LINE, SO ANY TIME A STUDENT HAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A NEED FOR THE DAY, IT COULD BE THAT THEY'RE JUST FEELING SAD ABOUT SOMETHING. IT COULD BE THEY JUST HAD A HARD DAY. I'M ALWAYS ON THE FRONT LINE. SO TEACHERS ARE CONSTANTLY CALLING ME. HEY, SO AND SO IS HAVING A HARD DAY.
CAN YOU COME, YOU KNOW, COME GIVE THEM A BREAK? CAN THEY COME TO YOUR OFFICE? SO JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE, AS YOU KNOW, FISHER ELEMENTARY IS THE SMALLEST SCHOOL, BUT WE STILL HAVE AROUND 440 STUDENTS AND THERE'S JUST ONE OF ME. IT'S A CHALLENGE EVERY DAY TO MEET THE NEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE KIDS HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON. SO AT TIER ONE, I'M JUST KIND OF ADDRESSING ALL OF THE CONCERNS, JUST COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE, WHETHER IT'S FROM PARENTS OR TEACHERS. OBVIOUSLY, I GET PARENT PHONE CALLS ALL THE TIME. SO THE TIER TWO IS REALLY WHERE I SEE THEM SPENDING MOST OF MY TIME. AND JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BETWEEN TIER TWO AND TIER THREE, WE HAVE ABOUT 100 STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THOSE TIERS, AND JUST KEEP IN MIND I'M ALSO ONLY IN A BUILDING OF ABOUT 440 RIGHT NOW. I KNOW THAT'S NOT ACCURATE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MAD AT ME. IT'S CHANGING. WE HAVE SO MANY MOVE INS ALL THE TIME. IT'S REALLY HARD TO SUPPORT AT TIER TWO AND TIER THREE ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE I'M ALSO TRYING TO SUPPORT EVERYBODY. SO I'M CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATING WITH TEACHERS. HOW CAN I HELP YOU? AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE THAT THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE. I THINK THE TEACHERS WOULD AGREE WITH ME IT'S HARD FOR ME, AS JUST ONE COUNSELOR, TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM AT THE TIER WOULD AND TIER THREE LEVEL. SO I SPEND A LOT OF TIME COLLABORATING, HAVING A LOT OF PARENT MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE HELP THEM A LOT OF TIMES? MIKE GETTING TO THE ROOT OF WHAT'S CAUSING MAYBE AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THOSE NUMBERS WERE BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC. SO THEY COULD HAVE BEEN EITHER BEHAVIOR OR ACADEMIC NEEDS AT THOSE LEVELS. SO I WORK A LOT WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH THERAPIST. SHE IS SO CRUCIAL IN WHAT I DO, BECAUSE WE ARE CONSTANTLY BRAINSTORMING HOW TO HELP KIDS AND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY REALLY NEED. SO I WISH THERE WERE FIVE OF THEM AT MY SCHOOL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US SPEAK TODAY ABOUT WHAT WE SEE AS SCHOOL COUNSELORS. I'M 15TH YEAR, EVEN THOUGH I COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE OLD ENOUGH TO BE A COUNSELOR FOR 15 YEARS. RIGHT? I WANTED TO SHARE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WHAT HAS CHANGED SO MUCH IN THE WORLD OF HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE STATE HAS REALLY DEVELOPED THIS AN RESPONSIBILITY CALLED GRADUATION PATHWAYS, WHERE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING INDIVIDUAL PLANS FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR PATH TO GRADUATION, DETERMINING THEIR CREDIT. SO IT USED TO BE WE WOULD JUST CHECK THEIR CREDITS, DETERMINING WHAT DIPLOMA PATH THEY'RE ON, DETERMINING WHAT THEIR POST-SECONDARY [INAUDIBLE] ARE, 3ES OF ENLISTMENT, ENROLLMENT, OR CONTINUING THAT PATH OF GOING DIRECTLY INTO EMPLOYMENT. OKAY? SO WITH THAT, STUDENTS' INTERESTS CHANGE. SO WE GO ON THE JOURNEY OF EBBS AND FLOWS OF DIFFERENT INTERESTS. SO THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT WITH OUR STUDENTS. WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIMING DO ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLANNING, AS WE SHOULD, AS EXPERTS IN THIS AREA.
SO WITH THAT ADDITIONAL FOCUS, IT DOES PULL OUR TIME AWAY OF BEING ABLE TO MEET SOME OF THOSE MENTAL HEALTH CRISES THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE. IT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A MOMENT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT OUT, AS SCHOOL COUNSELORS, WE MANAGE THE 504 PLANS FOR OUR STUDENTS. TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT, AT FISH HEIR HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE ABOUT 345 STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. WE HAVE 326 STUDENTS WHO HAVE 504S. 65% OF THOSE STUDENTS WITH A 504, IT IS DUE TO A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS PROVIDED BY THEIR DOCTOR.
WHEN I STARTED A LONG TIME AGO, I HAD 3504S, AND NONE OF
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THEM WERE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. WE'VE SEEN THIS GROW EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE YEARS.THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP, WE AS COUNSELORS REALLY WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BY ADDING ADDITIONAL COUNSELORS TO SUPPORT OUR FRESHMEN DURING THEIR TRANSITION. WHEN WE HISTORICALLY LOOK AT GRADES, OUR FRESHMAN STUDENTS STRUGGLE THE MOST. THEY ARE THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE D'S OR F'S AT QUARTER. OKAY? AND AS SCHOOL COUNSELORS, WE WANT TO PROVIDE MORE ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR THOSE STUDENTS, TEACHING STUDY SKILLS, HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO IDENTIFY AND INTERVENE WITH THOSE STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY IN THE ROLES THAT WE HAVE AS SCHOOL COUNSELORS. SO THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE SEE BEING ABLE TO HAVE WITH HAVING ADDITIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELORS.
I WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF HAVING SOCIAL WORKERS IN OUR BUILDING. SO IN OUR BUILDING, I AM STILL, AS A COUNSELOR, THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. A STUDENT COMES DOWN WITH A CRISIS. A STUDENTS EXPRESSES TO A TEACHER OR TRUSTED ADULT OR TO THEIR PARENT THAT THEY'RE HAVING THOUGHTS OF HARMING THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE. THAT PERSON COMES TO ME FIRST.
TO WORK WITH A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, IT HAS TO BE A PARENT PARTNERSHIP, AND PARENT CONSENT. OKAY? SO WITH A STUDENT COMING DIRECTLY TO ME, I AM ADVOCATING FOR THAT STUDENT AND CONNECTING THEM WITH DIFFERENT SUPPORTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE ON A THREE TO FOUR MONTH WAITING LIST WITH MOST AGENCIES PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PARTNER IS GREAT, IT'S WONDERFUL. HOWEVER, IF YOU'VE EVER GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS, IT'S A HELPING PROCESS TO GET YOUR STUDENT SITTING DOWN A COUNSELOR. A TWO TO THREE MONTH LIST TO GO THROUGH THE INSURANCE PROCESS AND APPROVAL. IT IS NOT FREE.
THIS IS THERE IS STILL A COST. I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. SOCIAL WORKERS PREPARED DISTINCT EXPERTISE. WE'VE NAVIGATED SEVERAL STUDENT DETECTIVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. I AM NOT AN LMHC. MY TRAINING IS DIFFERENT AND I GO THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROGRAM AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SO THAT IS HUGE. IF A STUDENT CANNOT GET INTO COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH FOR THREE MONTHS, WITH PERMISSION OF THE PARENTS ARE CONFIRMING THAT UNTIL THEY CAN GET FROM COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS'. I'LL LET A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER TALK MORE ABOUT IT.
>> I COULD SAY DITTO. EVERYTHING THEY SAID. I'M SARAH ROAR BACH, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER AT RIVERSIDE JUNIOR HIGH. I REALLY SUPPORT KIDS. MY JOB IS VERY FLEXIBLE AND IT'S VERY DIFFERENT. EVERY SINGLE DAY LOOKS DIFFERENT AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT. BUT REALLY, MOST OF MY DAY IS SPENT MEETING ONE-ON-ONE WITH STUDENTS. I ALSO FACILITATE SMALL GROUPS AND THESE STUDENTS COME TO ME BY WAY OF REFERRAL THROUGH MOST OF THE TIME SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND ADMINISTRATORS. AND IS A LOT OF WHAT I'VE NOTICED, ESPECIALLY OVER THIS LAST SCHOOL YEAR, IS THAT IT'S MAINLY PARENTS REACH OUT TO ADMINISTRATORS OR COUNSELORS SAYING WE NEED HELP, WE NEED SUPPORT. I NEED MY CHILD TO MEET WITH SOMEBODY AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO.
AS LIZETTE WAS SAYING, THERE IS A LONG WAIT LIST TO SEE A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, ESPECIALLY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. FOR EXAMPLE, JUST LAST WEEK I HAD A PARENT REACH OUT SAYING, HEY, I JUST BOOKED A THERAPY APPOINTMENT FOR MY CHILD, BUT IT'S IN TWO MONTHS. CAN YOU CHECK IN WITH THEM ON A WEEKLY BASIS UNTIL THAT APPOINTMENT COMES JUST TO MAKE SURE SOMEBODY IS CHECKING IN ON THEM? AND WHEN I MEET WITH THOSE STUDENTS MOST OF THE TIME. I ALWAYS SAY IT'S KIND OF TWOFOLD. I HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO HAVE SPECIFIC GOALS, WHERE ME AND THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO REDUCE ANXIETY. WE WANT TO REDUCE ANGER. WE WANT TO IMPROVE BEHAVIOR AND NOT GET IN TROUBLE AS MUCH. AND SO WE WORK -- I USE THERAPEUTIC EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO MEET THOSE GOALS. I ALSO HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC GOALS, BUT THEY JUST NEED SOMEBODY TO TALK TO. THEY NEED SOMEBODY IN THEIR CORNER, AND I'M THAT PERSON FOR THEM.
AND AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS OR MEETING INDIVIDUALLY WITH STUDENTS, WE ALSO MEET IN SMALL GROUPS WHERE I FACILITATE THERAPEUTIC APPROACHED SMALL GROUPS AS WELL. WHETHER THAT BE ANXIETY REDUCTION AND EXPRESS MANAGEMENT GROUPS OR ADHD GROUPS OR ANGER REDUCTION GROUPS OF THE LIST KIND OF GOES ON AND ON.
AND I WILL SAY THE THIRD BULLET POINT ON THERE SAYS CONSULT WITH PARENTS AND TEACHERS. THAT'S SOMETHING I'M DOING ALL DAY EVERY DAY. I'M WORKING WITH TEACHERS ON WHAT THEY'RE NOTICING IN THE CLASSROOM AND HOW I CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATION FOLLOWUPS WITH THE STUDENTS. I'M ON THE PHONE OR E-MAILING WITH PARENTS ALL THE TIME ON WHAT THEY'RE NOTICING AT HOME OR WHAT WE'RE NOTICING IN THE
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CLASSROOM AND HOW I CAN FACILITATE CONVERSATION WITH THEIR CHILD ABOUT PROCESSING THROUGH SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED OR GAINING SKILLS TO NOT LET MAYBE SOMETHING HASH IN THE FUTURE OR HOW TO BETTER DEAL WITH IT WHEN IT OCCURS AGAIN. ANOTHER THING THAT WE, AS SOCIAL WORKERS, CAN DO IN OUR BUILDINGS IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OUR TEACHERS AND HELPING THEM TO BETTER FACILITATE CONVERSATION IN THE CLASSROOM OR DEALING WITH ISSUES WHEN THEY ARISE. ANOTHER THING THAT I KNOW I DO A LOT IS AN SIFT WITH SUPPORTIVE DISFLYNN MY BUILDING. ME AND MY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ARE LIKE BEST FRIENDS AND WE WORK TOGETHER EVERY SINGLE DAY, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE THOSE FREQUENT FLIERS DOWN IN THE OFFICE. WE REALLY WANT YOU TO SUPPORT THEM AND FIGURE OUT WHY. WHY ARE YOU MAKING THESE CHOICES OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT IS LANDING YOU DOWN HERE? SO OFTENTIMES, ONCE THAT CHILD HAS RECEIVED THAT CONSEQUENCE, THAT REFERRAL IS MADE TO THE PARENTS TO SAY, HEY, WE'VE NOTICED THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE.PARENTS SAY, PLEASE, THIS IS GREAT. WE WANT THIS SUPPORT.
ONCE I RECEIVE THAT CONCEPT, THEN I'M MEETING WITH THOSE KIDDOS ON MOSTLY A WEEKLY BASIS TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT HAS GOTTEN US TO THIS POINT, AND HOW DO WE PREVENT IT FROM OCCURRING AGAIN? AN EXAMPLE THAT I THINK OF IS SORT OF MY GREATEST SUCCESS STORY IN THIS IS LAST YEAR I HAD A REFERRAL FOR A STUDENT WHO HAD GOTTEN INTO A FIGHT, AND MOM WAS REALLY SUPPORTIVE HER RECEIVING SUPPORT THROUGH ME, AND SO ME, MOM, AND HER TEACHER OF RECORD WORKED TOGETHER ON AN ALMOST WEEKLY BASIS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED HER TO GET INTO THAT SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND NOW I CAN SAY SHE'S AN A/B STUDENT WHO HAS NOT HAD ANOTHER OFFICE REFERRAL SINCE.
SO WORKING IN SUPPORTIVE DISCIPLINE AND WORKING WITH TEACHERS AND PARENTS IS A HUGE PART OF WHAT EVERY SINGLE DAY
LOOKS LIKE FOR ME. THANKS. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M CALLIE MATHERS, AND I AM THE SCHOOL PSYCH DEPARTMENT CHAIR FOR OUR 14 PSYCHOLOGISTS IN OUR DISTRICT. MOST OF OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS, ACTUALLY ALL OF OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS EXCEPT FOR PRESCHOOL SERVE AT LEAST TWO SCHOOL BUILDINGS, MEANING WE'RE JUST IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS TWO, TWO AND A HALF DAYS A WEEK. AS DR. KAGLEY SHARED, I AM NOT ONLY THE THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR, BUT I ALSO SERVE THREE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS: FALL GREEK JUNIOR HIGH, YEAR. THE PRIMARY ROLE OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM TIER THREE, MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY THINK OF A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, THINK OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TESTING. SO UNDER SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW, A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST IS REQUIRED TO BE PART OF THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM FOR 11 OF OUR 13 ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES. WHICH MEANS NEARLY EVERY REFERRAL ASIDE FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE EVALUATIONS THAT CROSSES OR COMES INTO OUR SCHOOLS IS HANDLED BY A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, AND WE'RE KIND OF LEADING THAT CHARGE AND THE HEAD OF THAT TEAM. SO WE'RE T UNTIL THE CASE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETING, HELPING OUR FAMILIES TO NAVIGATE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING, AND THEN ONCE ALL OF THAT TESTING IS COMPLETE, TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEIR CHILDREN'S LEARNING NEEDS AND THEN WORKING WITH PARENTS AND OUR SCHOOL STAFF TO HELP DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES FOR THOSE STUDENTS. WHILE THAT'S THE PRIMARY ROLE OF A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, WE ARE ACTUALLY TRAINED IN A BREADTH AND DEPTH OF AREAS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR TIME IS MAINLY SPENT DOING EVALUATIONS. TO DATE, OUR 14 PSYCHOLOGISTS THIS SCHOOL YEAR ALONE HAVE COMPLETED OVER 300 EVALUATIONS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. AND SO WHILE THAT'S TAKING UP A LOT OF OUR TIME, WE ARE ALSO TRAINED IN ACADEMIC AND LEARNING I WANT BE VENGESES AND WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOL TEAMS TO UNDERSTAND THAT EARLY INTERVENTION PROCESS STARTING EARLY AND GETTING IN EARLY TO HELP PROVIDE INTERVENTIONS, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND BEHAVIORALLY SO THAT OUR STUDENTS MAY NOT END UP IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION PROCESS DOWN THE ROAD.
WE ALSO HELP WITH SCHOOL WIDE PRACTICES TO PROMOTE LEARNING AND CRISIS RESPONSE, INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS. WE REALLY LIKE BEING ABLE TO BE IN A PROACTIVE VERSUS A REACTIVE ROLE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I THINK THAT'S -- YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PRESCHOOL ROLE. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
>> GOOD EVEN. BRETT EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS. AND I'VE BEEN IN HSE FOR A HANDFUL OF MONTHS. SINCE SEPTEMBER. JUST PAINT A LITTLE BIT OF A PICTURE OF THE STRATEGIC VISION FOR HOW WE WOULD USE OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING THREE MORE POSITIONED HERE THROUGH THE GRANT. SO WE WOULD STRATEGICALLY PLACE TWO AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. MOST OF OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST ARE HIS IN BUILDINGS, SPLITTING TWO BUILDINGS, BASICALLY. SO WE'RE IN ONE BUILDING HALF OF THE WEEK. SO THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO PUT FIVE DAYS OF ONE PERSON SUPPORT IN BOTH OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND ALSO AN
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ADDITIONAL PERSON AT THE PRESCHOOL LEVEL. SO AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO IS ALLOW US TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR THE EVALUATIONS AND GETTING THOSE SPECIAL ED EVALUATIONS COMPLETE. BUT ALSO BUILDING CAPACITY TO START TO DIG INTO A LOT OF THOSE PROACTIVE ACADEMIC SUPPORTS THAT FRANKLY WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME FROM THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST PERSPECTIVE TO BE ABLE TO START TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. SO IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM MULTI TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT, KIND OF A TIER TRIAGE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND GET STUDENTS THE HELP THEY NEED AT THE EARLIEST LEVEL.IT'S BEEN BUILDING NATIONALLY AT EARLY LEVELS. RIGHT? ELEMENTARY AND A LITTLE BIT MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.
STRUGGLING TO GET TO THAT HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, AND WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE THERE TO BE ABLE TO START TO PROVIDE THAT ACADEMIC SUPPORT EARLIER. THE SCHOOL EYE COME GIST WOULD REALLY BE HELP -- PSYCHOLOGIST WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THAT.
AT THE PRESCHOOL LEVEL, WE'VE GOT ONE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST DOING EVALUATIONS. WE HAVES -- THE NUMBERS ARE INCREDIBLE COMING FROM WHAT WE CALL FIRST STEPS, THE STUDENTS ZERO TO THREE-YEARS-OLD WHO ARE GETTING SUPPORT. COVID HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR REALLY LITTLE GUYS, AND SO THEY'RE COMING IN WITH HIGH LEVELS OF NEED AND IT'S HITTING OUR PRESCHOOL LEVEL AT HSC AND REALLY ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE OPPORTUNITY. AND WE'RE DOING ABOUT FIVE, SIX, SEVEN EVALUATIONS A WEEK AT THE PRESCHOOL LEVEL, WHICH IS PRETTY INTENSE, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S HARD FOR US TO REALLY DIG DEEPER IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ACADEMIC NEEDS ARE, WHAT THE BARRIERS ARE TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR OUR LITTLE GUYS. SO GETTING TWO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS IN AT THAT PRESCHOOL LEVEL IS REALLY GOING TO HELP US JUST HAVE MORE THOROUGH ASSESSMENTS TO THOSE -- THOSE THOROUGH ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING TO HELP US BETTER IDENTIFY THE NEEDS AND BETTER PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY'RE HAVING FEWER DIFFICULTIES LATER ON. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THIS GENERAL BENEFIT, TALKING ABOUT PRESCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. BY ADDING THOSE POSITIONS, IT'S INDIRECTLY, BUT VERY SIGNIFICANTLY GOING TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY FOR K-8. SO THE K-8 LEVEL, WE'VE GOT SOME BUILDINGS THAT HAVE VERY HIGH ENROLLMENT NUMBERS WITH TWO AND A HALF DAYS A WEEK OF THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO TARGET SUPPORT, BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE CAPACITY THAN THE OTHER ENDS. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE GREATER CAPACITY AT THE K-8 LEVEL AND KIND OF REARRANGE OUR TEAM SO THAT WE CAN READY FOR THAT SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN, AGAIN, GET THOSE EVALUATIONS DONE. BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS USE OUR SKILLS TO HELP AT THAT EARLY INTERVENTION LEVEL. AND AGAIN, EARLY INTERVENTION IS NOT JUST OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD KIDS. IT'S AT ALL GRADE LEVELS, BUT THE MINUTE WE IDENTIFY A NEED, TRYING TO GET IN THERE. AND AS CALLY SHARED, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE AN INCREDIBLE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE. OFTENTIMES WE'RE RELEGATED TO A VERY REACTIVE ROLE. WE ARE CAPABLE, I SAY WE, IT'S SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, WE ARE CAPABLE AND TRAINED TO PROVIDE THAT PROACTIVE SUPPORT AT ALL GRADE LEVELS, AND SUPPORT PRINCIPALS IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT DESIGN MIGHT LOOK LIKE, TO DESIGN OUT PROGRAMS SO THAT KIDDOS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO INSTRUCTION. SO WE'RE ALL ABOUT BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS SO THAT KIDS CAN ENGAGE IN THE CLASSROOM. SO I
THINK THAT'S IT. BROOK? >> THANK YOU ALL. I ALSO WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE OTHER TIER THREE SUPPORT WITH SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS. JUST ONE THING TO NOTE. WE HAVE ADDED THE ROLE AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL OF A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, OUR ONLY REFERRAL SOURCE WITHIN THE SCHOOL WAS SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH. SO WE'VE USED OUR SOCIAL WORKERS TO KIND OF HELP BE A GATEKEEPER TO AVOID REFERRING A STUDENT TO COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK THAT MIGHT JUST BE DEALING WITH, LIKE, A DIFFICULT ISSUE. LIKE AN EXAMPLE IS SOMEBODY'S FAMILY MEMBER DIED, AND EARLY INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT THROUGH THAT, THAT STUDENT MAY NOT DEVELOP ANY MENTAL ILLNESSES. THEY MIGHT NOT EXPERIENCE TRAUMA, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE USING THAT ROLE TO AVOID UNNECESSARY TIER THREE REFERRALS. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE RATIOS, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST SHARE THE DISTRICT RATIOS AND THEN ALSO THE RECOMMENDED RATIOS. EVERYONE LAUGHS AT THIS ONE TO 250. THOSE PEOPLE IN THE FIELD, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS, BECAUSE IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO THAT. WE'D LOVE IT, BUT IT JUST DID YOU WANT HAPPEN. SO I THINK -- SUBJECT HAPPEN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, INDIANA RANKS THE LOWEST AMONGST THE STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR STUDENTS RATIOS. WE HAVE THE WORST RATIOS IN THE COUNTRY.
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THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR K-8 SCHOOL COUNSELORS IS BETWEEN 613 AND 787, SO WE RECOGNIZE MOST DISTRICTS ARE NOT AT THAT 250. BUT WE'RE PRETTY HIGH COMPARED TO THAT, AND THEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, IT RANGES FROM 204 TO 243.THAT'S THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. AND IF YOU SEE UP THERE, OUR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THAT. AND LIKE LIZETTE SAID, THE WORKLOAD FOR A HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS A LOT MORE THESE DAYS WITH THE ADDITION OF PATHWAYS AND ALSO SOME OF THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS WORK THAT OUR LOWER GRADE LEVEL COUNSELORS ARE NOT FOCUSED ON.
>> SO WE'VE FIELDED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE LILY GRANT, WHICH HAS EXPIRED, AND WE NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE FUNDS, OR EXECUTING THAT GRANT, AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS GRANT AND WHY DO YOU NEED THIS AND WHY IS IT DIFFERENT? AND SO I JUST WANTED TO REALLY QUICKLY POINT OUT THAT THE LILY GRANT WAS DESIGNED TO FOCUS ALIGNMENT ON BEST PRACTICES OF COUNSELING. IT WAS NOT ABOUT ADDING POSITIONS. IT WAS ABOUT ADDRESSING AND TAKING THE FOCUS OFF OF OUR COUNSELORS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE OF SITUATIONS AND TASKS THAT THEY WERE DOING ON A DAILY BASIS AND MAKING THEM OR MOVING THEM TO A PLACE OF MORE DIRECT SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS. SO AN EXAMPLE I OFTEN USE IS PRIOR TO US PASSING THE REFERENDUM AND BRINGING ON ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WE OFTEN RELIED OR WE DID RELY ON OUR COUNSELORS TO ACT AS THAT SECOND PERSON TO THE PRINCIPAL TO HELP WITH MATTERS THAT, QUITE HONESTLY, THEY DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL TO BE A PRINCIPAL. THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN THAT LINE OF WORK. BUT BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH HANDS TO GET ALL THE WORK DONE, SOMETIMES THEY HAD TO STEP IN AND DO THAT.
AND THAT MAY HAVE COME AT THE DETRIMENT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SERVE THE STUDENTS THE WAY WE WOULD PRIVILEGE TO AND THE WAY THAT FITS -- PREFER TO AND THE WAY THAT FITS THEIR TRAINING.
THAT'S WHAT THE LILY GRANT HELPED US TO DO WAS REALLY BRING THEM TO USE THEIR SKILLS AND REALLY FOCUS THEM ON THE BEST PRACTICES OF SCHOOL COUNSELING.
CONVERSE THAT WITH THIS GRANT, WHICH IS LOOKING AT STAFFING AND INCREASING THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SUPPORT POSITIONS THAT I OUTLINED EARLIER.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE WHAT OF THE GRANT, PRIORITIES, REQUIREMENTS, DIG INTO THIS DETAILED INFO, OBJECTIVES, AND OUTCOMES AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS. GO AHEAD, BROOK. THANK YOU. THE GRANT REALLY HAS -- THERE'S TWO PRIORITY AREAS. I'LL TRY NOT TO MAKE THIS REALLY CONFUSING, BUT NUMBER ONE IN BOTH OF THE PRIORITY SECTIONS IS TARGETED TOWARD SEAS, AS BROOK MENTIONED EARLIER. STATE EDUCATION AGENCIES. OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT US. WE'RE A LEA, OR LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY. THAT'S WHY THE NUMBER 2S IN BOTH ARE REINBOLD SO WHEN WE SET OUT TO PURSUE THE GRANT, WE WERE REALLY LOOKING, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CREDENTIALED SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT INCREASED THE LIKELIHOOD OR AT LEAST AFFORDED US MORE OPPORTUNITY, A MORE FAVORABLE SCORE WAS IF WE ALSO, IN THAT EFFORT, LOOKED TO BRING ON FOLKS THAT ARE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS OR, AS BROOK REFERENCED EARLIER, THE RATIOS SHOW OUR DEMONSTRATED NEED AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT COMES IN THAT NUMBER 2 SECTION. SO WE'RE AN LEA WITH A DEMOCRAT STRAIGHT NEED, AND THAT CERTAINLY FITS THOSE
PRIORITIES IN THE GRANT. >> SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS, THE NARRATIVE THAT YOU ALL HAVE ADDRESSES A LOT OF THESE THINGS UP HERE. SO I WON'T GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. BUT WE NEEDED TO SHOW THAT WE HAD VERY HIGH RATIOS. SO WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COMPARE OURSELVES WITH THE RECOMMENDED RATIOS, LOCAL RATIOS. SO I TALKED WITH ALL OF OUR DISTRICT -- ALL THE DISTRICTS IN HAMILTON COUNTY. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST STUDENT TO COUNSELOR RATIOS IN THE COUNTY. AND WE ALSO NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE DATA, SOME OF OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE DATA, SHOW SOME DATA POINTS AROUND SCHOOL VIOLENCE, SUICIDE RATES, AND THEN WHAT BARRIERS WE MIGHT HAVE TO HIRING. AND I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT BARRIERS TO HIRING. WE HAVE HAD SOME SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITIONS OPEN, ESPECIALLY AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND I'VE TALKED WITH THE COUNSELORS AND THE PRINCIPALS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF HIRING PEOPLE.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE SAY, I DON'T WANT TO COME TO
[00:40:01]
HSC, BECAUSE I CAN'T MANAGE A CASE LOAD THAT SIZE. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE FELT LIKE WE COULD ADDRESS AS WELL.YOU'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO HAVE A LOGIC MODEL. SO YOU GUYS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT LOGIC MODEL THAT JUST REALLY SHOWED THE KEY PROJECT COMPONENTS AND WHAT OUTCOMES WE HOPE TO HAVE.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE PLAN FOR PROMPT DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO STUDENTS. SO THE GRANT WAS TO START JANUARY 1ST OF 2023. IT'S JANUARY TO DECEMBER. AND THERE'S INFORMATION WRITTEN IN THE GRANT THAT YOU HAVE 180 DAYS TO START SPENDING THE THE FUNDING. THOSE ARE KIND OF
THE REQUIREMENTS. >> JUST TO DIVE IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE GRANT AND THE FUNDING PIECES. SO BROOK MENTIONED FUNDING IS JANUARY TO DECEMBER. IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, YOU SEE YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO, YEAR THREE.
WE'RE NOT THINKING SCHOOL YEAR WHEN WE SAY YEAR ONE. WE'RE THINKING JANUARY TO DECEMBER. AND THOSE -- THE NUMBERS NEXT TO EACH YEAR INDICATE THE ALLOCATED AMOUNT IN THE GRANT FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR. SO IN YEAR ONE, WE PRESENT A BUDGET THAT WOULD HAVE US SPEND A LITTLE OVER $850,000.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT INCREASES OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND THEN DROPS A LITTLE BIT IN YEAR FIVE.
THERE WERE 102 ENTITIES THAT WERE AWARDED THIS GRANTA CROSS THE COUNTRY. -- GRANT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER THAT APPLIED, BUT I STILL THINK THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY A VERY INTERESTING THAT 102 WERE FUNDED. AND I LISTED FOR YOU THE THREE OTHER ENTITIES IN THE STATE THAT WERE FUNDED. TWO ARE LEAS, RICHLAND, GREENFIELD CENTRAL, AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED ALSO RECEIVED A GRANT FOR SOME WORK THEY WANT TO DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MARIAN UNIVERSITY. AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT I HAVE THERE INDICATE THEIR YEAR ONE ALLOCATION. SO THAT'S NOT THEIR TOTAL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR TOTALS ARE, BUT THAT'S THEIR YEAR ONE ALLOCATION.
>> SO WE WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRANT OBJECTIVES, AND I'LL JUST QUICKLY TOUCH ON THESE. THE FIRST ONE IS TO INCREASE TIER ONE. STUDENT SUPPORTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. SO THAT'S ADDING FOUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS. INCREASING TIER TWO STUDENT SUPPORTS, SO THAT'S ADDING OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. AND THAT WOULD BE ADDING NINE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE EIGHT SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WE HIRED WITH SR FUNDS. SO THEIR CONTRACTS END DECEMBER OF 2023. WITHOUT THIS GRANT, THAT WOULD BE THE END OF SUPPORTS FROM THEM. AND ALSO TO INCREASE THE TIER THREE SUPPORTS, BY HIRING THREE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE OBJECTIVES. THE OUTCOMES THAT WE SHARED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ARE UP HERE. SO CURRENTLY, SINCE OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS ARE A TIER TWO SUPPORT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY PROGRESS MONITORING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING EFFECTIVE, OR IDENTIFYING THAT A STUDENT NEEDS TO GO UP TO TIER THREE. MAYBE THEIR NOT THE RIGHT SUPPORT FOR A STUDENT.
WE USE A TOOL CALLED THE STRENGTHS AND DIFFICULTY SURVEY. STUDENTS COMPLETE THAT TOOL AT THE BEGINNING OF TREATMENT. OF SUPPORT FROM OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.
THEY COMPLETE THAT AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN WE USE IT EVERY SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING. SO WE HAVE SAID THAT 50% OF THE STUDENTS THAT WORK WITH THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER WILL SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN THE SYMPTOMS FROM THEIR BASELINE STRENGTHS AND DIFFICULTIES SURVEY TO THE TIME THAT THEY'RE DONE. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE AN OUTCOME REPORT FROM THE FIRST SEMESTER OF OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, BUT 78 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS THAT WORKED WITH THEM FROM JANUARY TO MAY OF 2022 SHOWED A REDUCTION IN SYMPTOMS. OUR SECOND OUTCOME IS THERE WILL BE A 25% REDUCTION IN TIER THREE MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS. SO LESS REFERRALS TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER SO WE CAN REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THEY NEED TO BE WORKING WITH.
AND THEN LESS THAN 20% OF STUDENTS WILL SHARE THEY HAVE A LOW PERCEPTION OF SAFETY. THE LAST TIME WE DID OUR STUDENT SURVEY, OVER 40% OF STUDENTS SHARED THAT THEY HAD A LOW HER EXCEPTION OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AT SCHOOL. THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THE FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES. SO WHAT IS THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REQUIRING US TO DO? SO THESE WERE DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THEN APPROVED BY CONGRESS, AND SO WE WILL HAVE TO REPORT ON THESE ITEMS THAT WILL THEN BE REPORTED TO CONGRESS REGULARLY. . FIRST WOULD BE THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS WE'RE
[00:45:02]
ABLE TO HIRE. THE SECOND ONE IS THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUES OR RETAIN. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. WE'LL NEED TO REPORT ON THE RATIO OF STUDENTS TO SCHOOL BASED HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.SO THOSE THREE POSITIONS WE SHARED WITH YOU, WE'LL BE REPORTING THAT. WE'LL ALSO HAVE TO REPORT ATTRITION. ANY TIME YOU HAVE A COUNSELOR WHO RECEIVES A DISTRICT, WHETHER THAT'S RETIREMENT OR LEAVE FOR ANOTHER POSITION, WE'LL REPORT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO NEED TO REPORT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THESE PROVIDERS.
I BELIEVE THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE ASKED FOR YEARLY, AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR GRANT MANAGER FROM THE DEPARTMENT ON THAT AS WELL. THE LAST COMPETITIVE PRIORITY, SO DR. CAGLEY MENTIONED, ALSO, ABOUT THE COMPETITIVE PRIORITY THAT WE ADDED IN WITH OUR GRANT, AND WE ADDED THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WORK WE'RE ALREADY DOING. SO WE'RE ALREADY WORKING TO DIVERSIFY OUR STAFF, SO THAT LAST ONE WOULD BE RESPECTING ON THE NUMBER OF DIVERSE CANDIDATES
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE. >> SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS SLIDE TO YOU. THERE'S A LOT I DO WANT YOU TO REFER TO IT, MAYBE LATER THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO TRACK. WE TRIED TO LIST WITH EACH YEAR WHAT WOULD COME ON AS AN EXPENSE OF THE GRANT AND POTENTIALLY WHAT WOULD COME OFF AS AN EXPENSE TO THE GRANT. AND WHEN I SAY COME OFF, THAT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HSC SCHOOLS. SO THERE WERE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE TAKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE STARTING TO FUND WITH THE GRANT AND MOVE THOSE OVER TO 22 DISTRICT OVER THE FIVE YEARS. I HAVE THE EIGHT IN RED, IN YEAR TWO, BECAUSE I WANTED YOU TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THROUGH THE YEARS, THOSE ARE THE EIGHT SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WE CURRENTLY FUND WITH OUR SR GRANT. AT THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, THEIR FUNDING THROUGH ESSER WILL RUN OUT.
SO IN YEAR TWO OR IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR, ALL EIGHT OF THEM WOULD REVERT TO THIS GRANT AND IN THE END OF THAT YEAR, TWO OF THEM. A TWO, A FOUR, AND A TWO, AND TO SHOW THEY TRULY COME OFF OF THIS GRANT AND BECOME THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF HSE SCHOOLS. >> GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES, DR. STOKES. A LITTLE BIT ON THE FINANCIAL AND THE POLICY END OF GRANTS FOR THE CORPORATION. FIRST, WE DO HAVE A BOARD POLICY THAT GOVERNS GRANTS. YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY, REQUIRING US TO SEEK MANY SOURCES OF REVENUE TO SUPPLEMENT THE FUNDS THAT WE ALREADY RECEIVE, AND THEN AS WELL AS A REVIEW THAT HAS TO COME THROUGH THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. I THINK YOU CAN IMAGINE WHY THAT IS, JUST TO ENSURE WHEN WE'RE FILING FOR GRANTS, ESPECIALLY COMPETITIVE GRANTS, HAVE WE CONSIDERED THE RAMIFICATIONS TO THE OVERALL DISTRICT OBLIGATION. AND THAT'S REALLY WHY THAT'S THERE. THIS IS NOT NEW. WE DID MODERNIZE THE LANGUAGE A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR, BUT THIS ISN'T NEW.
THIS IS A PRACTICE THAT WAS IN PLACE BEFORE, FOR THE SCHOOL CORPORATION. SO THE ROLLING GRANTS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING, SCHOOL CORPORATIONS HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR WHAT I WOULD SORT OF CALL PERFUNCTORY OR ROUTINE GRANTED. AND THOSE ARE SORT OF YOUR PART B FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, TITLE I, TITLE TWO, NESBY. THERE'S A ZILLION OF THEM. THOSE ARE VERY DEPENDABLE. THEY'RE NOT COMPETITIVE. COMPETITIVE GRANTS IS MORE WHERE WE GET INTO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT DR. CAGLEY AND MS. LAWSON AND I HAD WITH REGARD TO THIS GRANT. WHY ARE THESE COMPETITIVE GRANTS MORE IMPORTANT? I WOULD TELL YOU, IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE LILY GRANT SORT OF KICKED THIS OFF.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM A PRIOR LIFE, THAT WAS WHAT WE DID TO PHASE IN SCHOOL COUNSELORS IN K-6. WE DID NOT HAVE SCHOOL COUNSELORS IN MY PRIOR DISTRICT IN ELEMENTARY, SO WE USED THAT TO PHASE IN, BECAUSE WE JUST SIMPLY COULDN'T AFFORD TO ADD THEM ALL IN ONE FELL SWOOP. SO HOW DO YOU ADD IT AT ONE SCHOOL AND NOT ANOTHER WHEN WE'RE DEALING IN K-5 OR 6 BUILDINGS? WE KNOW IT'S FOR US, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE TO OBLIGATE THE DISTRICT TO ADD 15 POSITION IN HIS A SINGLE YEAR WOULD LITERALLY BE AT THE EXPENSE OF EVERY OTHER NEED THAT WE MAY HAVE THAT YEAR.
AND THEN IT ALSO ALLOWS, AND THIS IS REALLY IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING AREA, THERE'S ALWAYS DATA AND INFORMATION THEY'RE GATHERING WHEN THERE ARE THESE POSITIONS TO DETERMINE THE NEED AND THE WHY, AND THAT'S REALLY IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE, AND SO IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITHOUT OBLIGATING US WITH PERMANENT DOLLARS.
MY ROLE IN THE GRANT DEVELOPMENT -- IT TEAMS PRETTY SIMPLE. I STARED WITH THE SLIDE. IT REALLY DOES. MY
[00:50:04]
JOB IS REALLY TO KNOW ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND US. I NEED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW MANY POSITIONS SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PROPERLY EXPAND OUR CTE PROGRAM. WHAT GRANTS ARE COMING OFF THE BOOKS? WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION? WE'VE SEEN AN INFLUX AND OUR DECEMBER 1 COUNT WENT UP. WE'VE SEEN RISING CASES WE NEED TO ADDRESS. OR E AND L POPULATION WENT UP WITH 200 STUDENTS WITH NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING. SO THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT I'M DOING. THOSE ARE THE THINGS MADISON AND MYSELF ARE KEEPING THUMBS ON. TO REVIEW A BRANDT IS BUDGET AND WHAT THE DISTRICT CAN BE OBLIGATED TO IN THE SHORT AND LONG TERM, THAT I KNOW THOSE THINGS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE MANAGE. SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS GRANT, THAT'S SORT OF A BIG PICTURE, IF YOU WILL, THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT POP INTO MY HEAD RIGHT AT THIS POINT. ALL OF THOSE PIECES ARE THE REASON, BECAUSE FOR EVERY TEN THINGS THAT ARE ASKED FOR, THERE'S 20 THAT WE CAN'T TWO. IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE. THE FISCAL IMPACT RELATED TO THIS GRANT, SO IN THIS GRANT, ESSENTIALLY THE DISTRICT WOULD FUND AN AVERAGE OF THREE POSITIONS EACH YEAR OF THE GRANTED. IT VARIES A LITTLE. IT MIGHT BE TWO IN YEAR ONE, BUT FOUR IN YEAR TWO. IN YEAR FIVE, I THINK IT'S ZERO. SO I SAY AN AVERAGE, BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY OBLIGATED THROUGH THE GRANT FOR 15 POSITIONS OVER THE FIVE YEARS. THE MATCH REQUIREMENTS IS MET WITH OUR EXISTING COMMITMENT TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. SO THAT INCLUDES BOTH THE EDUCATION FUND AND THE REFERENDUM FUND MONEYS. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A YES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS THE OPERATING REFERENDUM IS NOT RENEWED? I WAS TALKING APPARENTLY LIKE WILLY WONKA WHEN I WAS PREPARING THIS SLIDE EARLIER TODAY. THAT'S BEEN A QUESTION ON I'VE SEEN, AND HERE'S WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU. AN OPERATING REFERENDUM, FIRST OF ALL, IS A POLICY DECISION, AND I THINK THE BOARD IS AWARE OF THAT AS A WHOLE, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER 2, IF THERE WERE NOT TO BE AN OPERATING REFERENDUM, THOSE REDUCTIONS ARE A POLICY DECISION. I DO NOT DECIDE UNILATERALLY, DR. STOKES, DR. CAGLEY, THIS DISTRICT HAS A HISTORY OF HAVING A VERY WIDE TASKFORCE OF STAFF, AND I THINK COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I BELIEVE THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS ON IT, IF I RECALL, FROM WHAT MR. ROITER SHARED. ALL OF THAT DATA IS COMPILED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS GO THROUGH TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH THEN MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE BOARD. SO WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS FUNDED OUT OF REFERENDUM DOESN'T MEAN THAT ADDITION CONTINUED IF THERE WEREN'T A REFERENDUM. I SAY THAT, TOO, BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT COME OUT OF THAT REFERENDUM. WE DON'T TRANSFER ANY MONEY OUT OF OUR EDUCATION FUND. WE TAKE ALL THE STATE TUITION FUNDS. WE LEAVE THEM IN THERE TO SUPPORT THE CLASSROOMS AND STUDENTS AND WHAT THE STATE LAW SAYS WE CAN USE THOSE DOLLARS FOR. WE DON'T TRANSFER ANY MONEY OUT. BUT THERE ARE THINGS PAID OUT OF REFERENDUM WE STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR, LIKE ELECTRICITY, LIKE WATER, UTILITIES. SO IT ISN'T AS CLEAR AS THERE'S NO REFERENDUM, SO EVERYTHING IN THERE JUST COMES OFF. IT'S A MUCH BIGGER PROCESS, BUT IT IS A POLICY DECISION ULTIMATELY THAT WOULD COME TO THE BOARD AFTER A LOT OF VETTING THROUGH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.>> SO WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR US?
>> SO I DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, BUT I DO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATIONS, I GUESS. SO THE SMALL GROUPS FOR THE SOCIAL WORKERS, I THINK, BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, DO MOST OF THOSE OR ALL OF THOSE HAPPEN DURING WHATEVER WE CALL THEM AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS? MY CHILD'S
SCHOOL IS BEST TIME? >> YES. MOST OF THE TIME DURING THAT ADOLESCENTS DON'T REALLY LIKE TO BE MULLED FROM LUNCH, BUT SOMETIMES WE END UP PULLING STUDENTS FROM LUNCH
FOR THOSE AS WELL. >> RIGHT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT BEING PULLED FROM CLASS AND CLEAR UP THAT MISCONCEPTION. SO I'M NOT MISSING ANY CLASS TIME. AND I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PRESCHOOL EVALUATIONS THAT MR. G ABOUT. AND THE FIRST STEPPED, I THINK HE DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THAT, BUT I WANTED TO ADD THAT THEY'RE ALSO ON A FEDERAL TIMELINE, AND SO ALL THOSE THAT THEY HAVE TO GET DONE HAVE TO GET DONE WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMELINE OR THEY'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE. AND SO I THINK WE'D BE STRETCHING OUR ONE PSYCHOLOGIST REALLY TOWNSHIP, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET TO THESE KIDS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN ISOLATED DURING COVID, AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER. AND I BELIEVE I READ SOMEWHERE
[00:55:03]
THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK WE COULD DO ALL OF THIS WITHOUT THE GRANT. DID ANYONE WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT?>> I MEAN, I DID MY BEST TO COVER IT, BUT I MAYBE WASN'T AS CLEAR. I GOT CARRIED A LOT WITH ALL THE THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT, WITH ALL OF MY LITTLE TABS OPEN ON MY BROWSER. IT WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE FOR THE SCHOOL CORPORATION TO ADD 50 POSITIONS IN A GIVEN YEAR. SO THE BENEFIT TO THE SCHOOL CORPORATION GOES BACK TO THE BENEFIT TO GRANTS. IT ALLOWS US TO PHASE THAT IN IN A MORE MEASURED MANNER SO WE'RE NOT PICKING ONE THING OVER EVERY OTHER NEED IN THE CORPORATION. SO THAT WOULD BE MY ANSWER.
THE ADVANTAGE TO THE GRANT IS HE CAN PHASE IN THE STAFFING IN A WAY THAT'S MANAGEABLE IN OUR OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU. THAT IS WHAT YOU SAID. I JUST WANT TO HEAR IT. AND THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE'RE REPORTING, THEY WERE SEEMINGLY STANDARD AND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WOULD YOU CONSIDER OR AGREE WITH THAT?
>> THEY'RE REALLY IN ALIGN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE ALREADY
SAID WE WOULD DO. >> THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE. FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND OR HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MIGHT BE ONE FOR YOU. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE EVALUATION PROCESS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND HOW LONG AN EVALUATION LIKE THAT MIGHT TAKE? AND SORT OF THE FEDERAL LAWS THAT SURROUND THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TIMELINES AND HOW WE STRUGGLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THOSE SPECIFIC TIMELINES FOR THE STUDENTS SO WE'RE NOT LEAVING THEM WAITING FOR
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? >> ABSOLUTELY: TIMELINE IS EVERYTHING WE DO IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. FROM THE MOMENT A PARENT EXPRESSES A CONCERN, WE HAVE TEN INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS TO PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE PART IF WE WILL OR WILL NOT PROCEED WITH AN EVALUATION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
THEN ONCE WE HAVE CONSENTED TO DO AN EVALUATION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, WE HAVE 50 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS TO COMPLETE THAT. WITHIN THOSE 50 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF ITEMS THAT HAVE TO OCCUR. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO CONSULT WITH PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR VISION FOR THEIR CHILD AND HOW THEY MAY BE EXPRESSING CONCERNS AT HOME THAT WE, AS EDUCATORS, DON'T SEE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND HOW CAN WE PARTNER WITH THEM TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CHILD AS WE COMPLETE THE EVALUATION? THERE ARE THINGS SUCH AS OPERATING IN SCHOOLS COMPLETED BY THE PARENTS, SOMETIMES BY THE STUDENT, ALSO TEACHERS. WE ALSO NOTED TO MAKE SURE PARENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COPY OF THE EVALUATION REPORT FIVE DAYS IN ADVANCES OF A CASE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND IN THAT EVALUATION REPORT, THERE CAN BE A VARIETY OF SCHOOL PROVIDERS WHO ARE PUTTING INFORMATION INTO THAT REPORT SO WE CAN HAVE A TRUE PICTURE OF THE STUDENT AND HOW THEY LEARN ACROSS ENVIRONMENTS.
AND SO WHILE 50 SCHOOL DAYS DOES SOUND LIKE A LONG TIME, I CAN TELL YOU AS A PARENT, THAT FLIES. AS A TEACHER, THAT FLIES. AND FOR OUR STUDENTS, IT GOES EVEN FASTER. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HAVING ALL OF THESE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE HAPPEN DURING THOSE 50 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS, WE'RE GREAT AT TIME MANAGEMENT. WE GET IT DONE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A THOROUGH EVALUATION, SO THAT WAY PARENTS HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET, STUDENTS HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND THEIR UNIQUE LEARNING NEEDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> >> FIRST OFF, I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR COMING IN AND EXPLAINING THIS TO US.
LIKE MS. LANG SAID, WE'RE REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED WITH ALL OF THIS. IT'S A LOT TO TAKE IN. I'M SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. BUT SPECIFICALLY, THANK YOU, MS. LAWSON, FOR APPLYING FOR THIS, SEEKING THIS OUT, LOOKING FOR SOME WAY TO HELP OUR KIDS AND HELP OUR KIDS' MENTAL HEALTH. YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T REALLY OUR TIME TO HE CAN INTO. IT'S OUR TIME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO DO. OUR KIDS CAN'T ACHIEVE ACADEMICALLY UNLESS THEY HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION OF MENTAL HEALTH TO START WITH. I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THAT. WE'RE HERE TO KIND OF GET A LITTLE BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING, UNDERSTAND THE FINANCES BEHIND IT, THE SPECIFIC IMPLEMENTATION. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL IN THESE THINGS. WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS A LOT. WE GOT COMPLIMENTS ON HOW WE HANDLED THE LEGAL RFP AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A NICE PROCESS THAT WE ALL SHARED WELL. -- TO START OFF HERE, SARAH CAN SEE MY PAPER.
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IT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING INTO A REFERENDUM YEAR AND EVERY PENNY POSSIBLE AND MAKE THE CASE EVENTUALLY * * EVENTUALLY TO THE TAXPAYERS THAT WE'RE BEING EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE WITH THE MONEY AND POINTING EVERYTHING WE CAN AT ACADEMIC EDUCATION. I'D MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT MENTAL TIED INTO EDUCATION, BUT KATIE, IF YOU COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE MATCHING PART OF THIS ON THE LAST PAGE BUDGET NARRATIVE, THERE'S A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE WOULD MATCH EVERYTHING WITH OUR OWN FUNDING. THEN I LOOK AT IT, AND IT SAYS A REQUIRED MATCH, IT VARIES FROM ABOUT 210,000 TO 336,000 PER YEAR. AND THEN ON THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN, THERE'S A DISTRICT MATCH THAT SHOWS 948,000. SO IF YOU COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS IT OF OUR OWN MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO IT EVERY YEAR?>> SO ESSENTIALLY, THE MATCH, AND I BELIEVE, MS. LAWSON, AS WELL AS MS. MADISON, OUR DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS WORKED THROUGH THIS, WAS OUR EXISTING SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST. AND SO 11 OF THOSE ARE FUNDED OUT OF THE REFERENDUM FUND. THREE OF THEM ARE FUNDED OUT OF THE EDUCATION FUND. SO THOSE ARE NOT ADDITIONAL. THOSE ARE PEOPLE WE'VE ALREADY HAD ON STAFF. SO THEY WEREN'T NEW COSTS TO BE PART OF THE MATCH.
SO THOSE ARE EXISTING. SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO ADD THE 986,000. THE NUMBER YOU USED WAS NOT NEW MONEY SPENT TO MEET IT. YOU COULD USE YOUR EXISTING FUNDS IN ORDER TO MEET THAT, AS LONG AS IT WASN'T PAID OUT OF ANOTHER
GRAND. >> SO THE 948,000 PER YEAR IS WHAT WE'RE ALREADY SPENDING IN THIS AREA? ARE WE ADDING TO IT THIS REQUIRED MATCH OF ANYWHERE FROM 210 TO 330 PER
YEAR FROM. >> THE PART OF THAT IS THE ADDITIONAL. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE POSITIONS ON AVERAGE A
YEAR. >> THAT'S THE REQUIRED MATCH PART IS NEW MONEY AND THE DISTRICT WAS WHAT WAS ALREADY
>> LET ME FRY AND SAY IT A DIFFERENT WAY.
>> WHAT ARE WE ADDING TO HSE BUDGET?
>> THAT'S THE AVERAGE OF THREE POXES A YEAR OVER THE FIVE YEARS. IT'S 15 POSITIONS TOTAL. I AVERAGE IT AS THREE A YEAR, JUST BECAUSE IT'S ROUNDER FOR ME, BUT IT COULD BE TWO IN YEAR ONE AND FOUR IN YEAR TWO, YOU KNOW, AND THREE IN YEAR THREE. BUT IT'S 15 TOTAL.
>> RIGHT. AND I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MATCH, THINKING THAT THAT WOULD CHANGE. WE JUST PUT IN OUR SCHOOL PSYCHSALARIES AS THE MATCH THAT ARE BEING PAID FROM REFERENDUM, AND THAT'S OUR MATCH. THEY'RE CURRENTLY BEING PAID RIGHT NOW. SO OUR MATCH ISN'T NEW MONEY. DOES
THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> I THINK SO. SO OVERALL BY TAKING THIS GRANT, ARE WE ADDING ANY NEW DOLLARS TO OUR
BUDGET? >> NOT THIS YEAR. BUT BEGINNING IN WHAT WILL BE 2024, IT WILL BE, ON AVERAGE,
THREE POSITIONS A YEAR. >> DO WE KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT
THOSE COST? >> IT COULD VARY FROM SEVEN A THOUSAND EACH TO UP TO -- 70,000 EACH UP TO 100 WE
SPENDING ON THE BENEFITS. >> THAT'S WHERE I GOT THE 210 TO 330? NEXT YEAR WE'RE ADD BETWEEN 200 AND 300, INIAL WE SEND UP ALL THE WAY AT THE END, AND THEN WE OWN IT?
>> IN A GIVEN YEAR, DEPENDING, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS PAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE IN A FAIRLY GOOD PLACE WITH CLASSROOMS, BUT HAD GROWTH IN OTHER AREAS LIKE ENL WHERE WE HAD TO ADD ADDITIONAL STAFFING SUPPORTS, BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE STATE. WE HAD SOME AREAS IDENTIFIED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION WHERE CASE LOADS, CLASS SIZES, JUST WE HAD TO UTILIZE, I THINK, A DIFFERENT METHOD FOR HOW WE STAFFED IT. WE NEEDED TO BE A LITTLE MORE INTENTIONAL. THAT REQUIRED US TO CATCH UP A LITTLE. SO THERE'S POSITIONS ADDED EACH YEAR. I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM TEN TO 15, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S
HAPPENING. >> GOTCHA. I'M GOING TO KEEP GOING. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO STOP ME, THAT'S TIME. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO END UP SHORT ON TIME HERE AS IS. LOOKING AT THE DATA TO TRY AND FILL OUT THIS THING, WE NEED THESE POSITIONS. HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHERE IT SAYS THAT IN THE GRANT NARRATIVE ABOUT 500 STUDENTS WERE SEEN BY 23 COUNSELORS THIS LAST YEAR, THAT THE AVERAGE CASE LOAD FOR O FOR SOCIAL WORKERS. AVERAGE CASE LOAD IS ONE TO 40 AND 12 OF 23 ARE ALREADY BEYOND CAPACITY. WHEN I DO THAT MATH, AND I PROBABLY DID IT WRONG, THAT'S FAIR, 500 STUDENTS SEEN BY 23 PEOPLE IS 12021, NOT ONE TO 40. CAN WE HELP EXPLAIN THAT? IS THAT BECAUSE THERE'S MORE AT SOME
SCHOOLS? >> SO THAT'S INFORMATION ABOUT OUR THERAPISTS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK. SO 500
[01:05:03]
STUDENTS WERE REFERRED LAST SCHOOL YEAR, BUT THERE ARE STUDENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR THAT WERE LIKELY ON THEIR CASE LOAD STILL. SO THEY DON'T DISCHARGE EVERY STUDENT THEY DISCHARGE WHEN SERVICES ARE COMPLETE. THEIR CASE LOAD SIZES RANGE IN EACH SCHOOL. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE STUDENT NEEDS, HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE REFERRED. SO IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO NEEDS TO BE SEEN FREQUENTLY AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS ON YOUR CASE LOAD, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE AS HIGH OF A CASE LOAD. SO DOES THAT ANSWERYOUR QUESTION? >> I THINK SO. AND DR.
GREAT WITH UNDERSTANDING CASE LOAD MANAGEMENT. SO SOMEBODY IS STILL PART OF YOUR CASE LOAD, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT
ACTIVELY SERVING THEM? >> NO. YOU DISCHARGE THEM IF YOU'RE NOT ACTIVELY MEETING WITH THEM.
>> OKAY. >> BUT SOME STUDENTS CAN BE SEEN FOR MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF SCENARIO SUPPORT.
>> OKAY. SO ONE STUDENT COULD ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN ONE --
SESSION A WEEK. >> SESSION ON YOUR CASE LOAD?
>> YEP. >> THAT'S HELPFUL. I'LL GO ONE OR TWO MORE. GO AHEAD AND STOP ME.
>> CAN I ASK SOMETHING THAT KIND OF RELATES, TOO? HOW DO YOU ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE? WHAT I DO YOU ON A DAILY BASIS, CONTINUITY OF CARE IS IMPORTANT FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO DIABETES OR HYPERTENSION. SUMMER COMES, HOW IS THAT CONTINUITY OF CAROLINA I HAD OUT IN.
>> SO WITH OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, THEY'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SEE YOU FOR THE SUMMER. WHAT SUPPORTS DO YOU NEED? HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THIS SUMMER WITHOUT ME? IF THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE REALLY HIGH NEEDS, THEY REFER THEM TO OUR PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK WHO WORK ALL SUMMER LONG. SO WE TYPICALLY GIVE THEM A PORTION OF THE SCHOOL THAT'S DOING I READ X THEY IMMEDIATE WITH STUDENTS ALL SUM -- AND THEY MEET WITH STUDENTS ALL SUMMER LONG. JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUMMER DOESN'T BE MEAN PEOPLE ARE NOT HAVING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OF THAT'S HOW WE PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF CARE.
>> I WOULD JUST -- EXCUSE ME. I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT THAT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, OUR COUNSELORS ARE ON ALL SUMMER.
AND SO YOU DON'T GET THE FULL COMPLEMENT OF THEM, BUT THEY USUALLY EACH TAKE A WEEK AND ROTATE THROUGH. IF THERE ARE OTHER HERE ONE NEEDS OR IF A STUDENT OR FAMILY SHARES INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE BEST SERVED BY A SOCIAL WORKER OR COMMUNITY HEALTH THERAPIST, WE STILL HAVE A PERSON AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL IN FACTOR HELP DO THAT REFERRAL AS WELL.
>> HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE NEED FOR MEDICATIONS? I SAW IN THE GRANT THAT LICENSED PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS ARE NOT COVERED. SO HOW DO YOU HANDLE
THAT? >> SURE. THIS GRANT ACTUALLY WOULD NOT PAY FOR MEDICAL SERVICES. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS WRITTEN INTO THE GRANT. YOU COULD NOT WRITE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES. SO IF THERE'S A STUDENT ON THE CASE LOAD OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK THERAPIST, SOCIAL WORKERS ARE NOT TYPICALLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MEDICATION. OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK THERAPIST WOULD TALK WITH THE FAMILY AND MAKE A REFERRAL TO THEIR PSYCHOLOGIST OR A LOT OF TIMES PRACTITIONERS ARE PRESCRIBING MEDICATION, SO THAT'S HOW WE HANDLE MEDICATION. THE DISTRICT DID YOU WANT FACILITATE THAT. IT HAPPENS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH
NETWORK. >> IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS ADDITIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, WHO WOULD THEY REFER TO, SINCE THEY'RE NOT EMPLOYED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH
IF. >> SO THEY MIGHT TALK TO THE FAMILY ABOUT DIFFERENT OUTSIDE SOURCES THAT THEY MIGHT REFER.
THEY MAY SAY, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY START WITH YOUR CHILD'S PEDIATRICIAN TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IF YOU THINK MEDICATION IS AN OPTION. BUT THEY AREN'T NECESSARILY REFERRING TO A SPECIFIC PROVIDER. THEY MIGHT GIVE THEM A LIST OF PROVIDERS THAT THEY KNOW OF OR REFER TO THE MEDIA TRISH AN OR FAMILY DOCTOR.
>> OKAY. >> AND TO ALSO EXPAND ON THAT, A LOT OF TIMES STUDENTS WITH IEPS MAY BE TAKING MEDICATION AS WELL. SO THINKING OF CONTINUITY OF CARE ACROSS PROVIDERS AND ACROSS SETTINGS, OFTENTIMES WE MAY ASK PARENTS FOR A RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THEIR DOCTOR. AND IF PARENTS AREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THAT AND THAT'S THEIR RIGHT, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE. WE STILL WOULD THEN PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THEM TO TAKE TO THEIR DOCTOR. AND WITH PARENTS ASK US, DO YOU THINK MY KID NEEDS MEDICATION? WHAT SHOULD I DO HERE? WE ARE VERY CLEAR ON THAT IS NOT OUR JOB.
THAT IS NOT OUR ROLE. WE'RE EDUCATORS. WE'LL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO YOU TO SHARE WITH YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER ABOUT WHAT WE'RE OBSERVING AND SEEING AT SCHOOL THAT COULD BE IMPACTED BY ANY MEDICATIONS THEY'RE TAKING. SO IF THEY ASK US THAT QUESTION, WE'RE A PARTNER, TO WALK ALONG SIDE, WE WOULD THEN, OF COURSE, REFER OUT TO OTHER PLACES.
>> ALSO, ON THE CONTINUE KNEW AT THIS OF CARE, IF YOU WILL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY VALUE THE SERVICES THAT YOU GUYS OFFER AND TO I KNOW IN THIS ROOM AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING, NOTHING
[01:10:03]
THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY WOULD STOP ANY OF THE CARE THAT WE ALREADY ARE GIVING OUR STUDENTS. THIS IS CONTINUOUS.WE ARE IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF OUR BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS. I CAN SAY FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY, LOSING MY LOSSES SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE SCHOOL WAS OUTSTANDING WITH MY THREE KIDS THAT WERE IN SCHOOL AT THE TIME. AND MENTAL HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WHATEVER TIER YOU'RE IN IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND I PERSONALLY SUPPORT IT VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS ARE A LITTLE BIT GOING TO THE CONTINUITY AND LISTENING TO THE GRANT PART OF IT. I DID SOME DUE DILIGENCE. I DID SOME FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY, DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THINGS, AND I HAVE A DEAR FRIEND THAT KIND OF IS IN THE SAME POSITION THAT YOU ARE AND WRITES GRANTS FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICE IS NOT IN THE GRANT IS, IS THERE SOMETHING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE DOING TO HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS IN THERE? FOR EXAMPLE, WE TALK ABOUT HAVING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM TO GET OUR STUDENTS GET MORE HELP AS COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGISTS OR WHATEVER THAT IS. WE TALK ABOUT THINGS FOR TRAINING FOR SOCIAL WORKERS AND COUNSELORS. BUT IF I'VE GOT A STUDENT THAT HAS ISSUES OR SITUATION OR SOMETHING, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON TO SUPPORT OUR PARENTS AS WELL?
>> SURE. OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS WERE HAVING SOME CONVERSATION, YOU REMEMBER BACK TO THE TRIANGLE. WE TALKED ABOUT PARENT NIGHTS, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS. VAPING IS A BIG ISSUE IN OUR STUDENTS RIGHT NOW, IN OUR STUDENT POPULATION. SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATION AROUND DOING A NIGHT FOR PARENTS ON THAT. I'LL BE HONEST, SUZANNE. WE PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO PARENT NIGHTS AND NOT A LOT OF PARENTS SHOW UP.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MOST APPROPRIATE PARENT NIGHT AVENUE IS, BECAUSE WHEN WE DO PARENT NIGHTS ON TOPICS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET A LOT OF PARENTS SHOWING UP. ONE-ON-ONE, OUR SOCIAL WORKERS WORK A LOT WITH PARENTS AND THEY'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS PROVIDE FAMILY THERAPY ALL THE TIME. SO IF THERE ARE PARENT LIGHTS THAT YOU ALL THINK WOULD BE WONDERFUL. WE WOULD LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO SHOW UP AND WE THINK VAPING MIGHT BE AN INTERESTING ONE, SO THAT MIGHT BE OUR FIRST ONE THAT WE TACKLE THIS
YEAR. >> AND IN ALL DUE RESPECT, I WAS THINKING MORE OF THE INDEPENDENT, LIKE IF I HAVE A CERTAIN CHILD THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN IS HAVING ISSUES, HOW CAN I -- WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME? DO WE HAVE THOSE RESOURCES? ARE WE PROVIDING THINGS FOR PARENTS TO ASSIST THEM AND THEN WHEN YOU DO GET TO THE SUMMER, LIKE WE SAID, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ASSIST THEM IN AND I THINK WE KIND OF HIT ON THAT ALREADY. SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART.
I ALSO WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS, IF YOU WILL.
SO OTHER THAN THE GRANT AND BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE GRANT IN THE FALL, YOU HAVE SERVICES AND WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR THEM AND WHAT HAVE YOU. WAS THERE EVER ANY OTHER RESEARCH OR CHOICES OR OTHER WAYS TO FUND OR PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OUR
STUDENTS? >> WE'VE BEEN WATCHING FOR GRANTS OF THAT NATURE. BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE PRINCIPALS. YOU HAVE BUDGET MEETINGS, NOT ME. SO I KNOW OFTENTIMES, I'VE HEARD EVER SINCE I STARTED WORKING HERE, WE NEED MORE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS. I ALSO HEARD FROM OUR COUNSELORS, WE NEED SOCIAL WORKERS. SO THE ADDITION OF SOCIAL WORKERS WITH ESSER FUNDS WAS REALLY THE RESULT OF THE PARENT SURVEY WE GAVE IN JUNE OF WAS THAT 21? PART OF PLANNING FOR OUR SR FUNDS WAS TO ASK THE COMMUNITY THAT WE FELT WE SHOULD DO, AND A LOT OF PARENTS SAID WE NEED MORE COUNSELING, WE NEED MORE COUNSELING. SO THAT WAS -- THAT'S BEEN PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT CONVERSATIONS WITH PRINCIPALS
AROUND ADDING STAFF. >> I THINK FIRST I WOULD SAY I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 18 MONTHS, SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH 1 ACTUAL BUDGET CYCLE WITH PRINCIPAL MEETINGS. MY SECOND ONE WILL BE COMING WITH MS. LIPPY AND DR. CAGNEY WHEN WE MEET WITH ALL THE LEVELS OF STAFF TO TALK THROUGH THIS. I THINK THERE ARE ALWAYS REQUESTS. THERE'S ALWAYS REQUESTS TO RUN SCHOOL COUNSELORS. I THINK THE SOCIAL WORKER PIECE IS NEWER, AND WHEN DR. CAGLEY AND HIS TEAM WERE ABLE TO START PROVIDING SERVICES IN ORDER TO GATHER THAT DATA TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, THE NEED IN A LONG TERM, THE ESSER FUNDING AND ESSER GAVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE OTHER PIECE, I WOULD SAY, IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, MS. SELBY AND HER TEAM, I THINK ARE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER IN THE CASE LOADS. AS I MENTIONED, I THINK THERE IS A TIME WHEN WE APPROACHED STAFFING AND
[01:15:03]
SPECIAL ED AS THESE ARE THE -- YOU HAVE TWO POSITIONS.FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU NEED THEM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE LONG TERM, WHEN YOUR NUMBERS ARE GROWING AT A HIGHER RATE THAN THAT, THAT IS NOT AN INTENTIONAL WAY TO STAFF. WE DID SOME RIGHT SIZING THIS PAST YEAR WITH SEVERAL THINGS. I THINK WE ADDED I WANT TO SAY FIVE POSITIONS IN TOTAL TO SUPPORT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE ONE OF THOSE WAS A SCHOOL PSYCH AT THAT TIME. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE REQUEST. SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO BEFORE THAT AS FAR AS GRANT FUNDING GOES, THIS DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE A GRANT SPECIALIST. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. WE DO NOT HAVE A GRANT SPECIALIST. SO BROOK YOU DID LILY, TOO, DIDN'T YOU?
>> TAKI HELPED. >> SO I THINK SOME OF THAT, AND THERE JUST AREN'T A TON OF COMPETITIVE GRANTS OUT THERE.
SO THAT WOULD REALLY BE MY SUMMARY. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, WE FIELD REQUESTS FROM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF BUILDINGS, BUILDING LEADERS, AND SO WE HAVE TO WEIGH THOSE, BUT WE USUALLY -- WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FIRST IS, AND I THINK I'VE SHARED WITH YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE REDUCTIONS, YOU CUT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN AND THE IN IS THE CLASSROOM. WHEN WE ADD STAFF, WE LOOK AT THE INSIDE OUT, AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO LOOK AT THE CLASSROOM, WHAT SUPPORTS KIDS FIRST.
>> I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING HERE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GRANTS, GRANTS TYPICALLY, IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND COMING FROM MY PREVIOUS POSITIONS, WAS THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE GRANTS.
BUT THEY'RE PARTICULARLY KIND OF ANNUAL GRANTS THAT EVERYBODY HAS ASKED TO TITLE I, TITLE TWO, TITLE III, NEPSE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT COMPETITIVE GRANTS COME FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, AND TYPICALLY WHEN THOSE GRANTS ARE PUT OUT THERE FOR US TO REVIEW, WHOEVER IS THE EXPERT IN THAT WHEELHOUSE, SUCH AS BROOK WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH, WILL TYPICALLY BE THE PERSON WORKING WITH A TEAM TO APPLY FOR THAT GRANT. AND LIKE SHE SAID, IT TAKES RIGHT UP TO THE DAY WHEN IT'S DUE TO GET EVERYTHING IN.
>> IS I WOULD ALSO ADD, THERE ARE MANY GRANTS THAT WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR, BECAUSE OF OUR LOW COMPLEXITY OR LOW FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH. SO YOU KNOW, FOOD SERVICE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE THEY HAVE A TON OF GREAT COOL THINGS THAT I KNOW MS. WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NO, WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT AT 50%. WHEN WE GET OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR, WE TEND TO JUMP ON THEM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A STAFF MEMBER DEDICATED TO JUST TRYING TO UNCOVER AND
UNEARTH THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. >> I THINK WHERE I'D LIKE TO KIND OF TAKE THIS CONVERSATION, AND AGAIN, THIS IS -- I AM NOT A CFO. I AM NOT A MENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR. I AM HERE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND SEE WHAT IS GREAT FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, FOR SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS, BAR NONE, ARE THAT. AS AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, I ALSO LOOK AT MY TEACHERS AND SUPPORTING MY TEACHERS AND PAYING THEM OUTSTANDING AND SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS AND OUR EDUCATORS. SO GOING BACK FIVE YEARS, WE STARTED, AND MY RESEARCH, BE WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK, AND WHAT I'VE GATHERED IS WE HAVE THREE CONTRACTS WITH THEM. AND CORRECT ME IF I NEED TO.
THERE'S A WELLNESS CONTRACT. WE HAVE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTRACT, AND WE HAVE THE NURSES WITH ATHLETIC TRAINERS CONTRACT
IS THAT CORRECT IN >> I BELIEVE IT'S ACTUALLY ONE AGREEMENT WITH ADDENDUMS. THEY MAKE ADDENDUMS, BUT SAME
>> ARE WE HAPPY WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK? HAVE WE BUILT THAT RELATIONSHIP TO SAY THAT WE'RE SATISFIED WITH THEM?
>> ARE YOU TALKING FROM MS. LAWSON'S AREA?
>> ANYONE'S AREA. >> I WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT. WE ARE VERY HAPPY. MY FIRST JOB IN THE DISTRICT WAS TO REVIEW THE THREE RFPS FROM MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, DR.
FIRST DAY. Y'ALL FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE YOU THINK WILL BE BEST FOR OUR DISTRICT. AND THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS WE CHOSE COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK, ONE OF THOSE BEING WE HAVE THE LARGEST IN IT PATIENT FACILITY IN THE AREA, AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE ALSO CHOSE THEM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE LARGEST SCHOOL BASED PROVIDER IN THE STATE AS WELL.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND THEY SAID THEY'D HIRE 13 THERAPISTS TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR IN AUGUST OF 2017, AND * I LAUGHED. I COME FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH. I THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER FIND 13 PEOPLE, AND THEY DID, WHICH SPEAKS TO THEIR ABILITY TO RECRUIT STAFF, BUT ALSO, THEY HAVE RETAINED MOST OF OUR THERAPISTS IN THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE 2017, WHICH IS ALSO NOT COMMON IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH. SO THERE'S A LOT OF TURNOVER.
[01:20:02]
MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS DON'T TYPICALLY STAY IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH, BECAUSE THEY CAN GO WORK IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AND MAKE MORE MONEY. AND SO OUR SCHOOL BASED CONTRACT IS AMAZING, AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE THERAPISTS THAT WORK IN OUR SCHOOL. WE NOW HAVE 23 OF THEM. WE STARTED WITH 13. THEIR ORIGINAL CONTRACT SAID THEY'D GIVE US 13, AND THEY HAVE WORKED WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT. WE ALSO, I MENTIONED THE CRISIS LIAISON POSITION. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE THAT HAS THAT POSITION. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. IT'S CRITICAL TO OUR STUDENTS. WHEN STUDENTS WHO ARE DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THOUGHTS OF HURTING THEMSELVES, THE FIRST TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT DISCHARGE IS REALLY CRUCIAL AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE SUPPORT AND PEOPLE WRAPPING AROUND THEM IS IMPORTANT, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT. THERE'S NO COST TO FAMILIES FOR THAT.THAT'S A FREE SERVICE. SO I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK.
>> EXCELLENT. THAT'S REALLY, REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
SO THAT'S EXCELLENT INFORMATION. >> MS. THOMAS, IF I MAY, JUST TO SPEAK TO THE OTHER HALF, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT AT MULTI LEVELS, COMMUNITY WAS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION TO COME OUT REALLY WITH THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERSHIPS.
AND SO PRIOR TO THE DISTRICT HAVING THE ARRANGEMENT, I BELIEVE ACTUALLY WHAT CAME FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG IN 2017, YOU CAME FIRST WITH THE SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH.
>> I CAME IN 2016. >> I CAME IN 2021.
>> OH, NO, I'M SORRY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT --
>> SO WE USED TO HAVE AN AGREEMENTS WITH IU HEALTH FOR THE WELLNESS CENTER, WITH SAINT V'S FOR THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS.
SO COMMUNITIES REALLY STARTED WITH THE SCHOOL BASED COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY START IN MSC WARREN, SO THAT WAS WHEN WE BROUGHT ALL OF THOSE FACETS, THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS, THE SCHOOL NURSES, THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH CENTER UNDER ONE, AND AT THAT POINT, WE NO LONGER PAID FOR, THERE ARE NO TAX DOLLARS, FOR STATE TUITION SUPPORT DOLLARS THAT FUND SCHOOL NURSES, COMMUNITY PROVIDES THOSE TO US AT NO COST, AS WELL AS OUR CURRENT BEVY OF ATHLETIC TRAINERS THAT WE HAVE. SO THERE ARE THINGS IF WE NEEDED TO EXPAND, WILLED HAVE TO PICK UP THE COST, BUT THAT WAS DONE AT ONE TIME TO BRING THEM ALL TOGETHER. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT'S BROOK.
BROOK'S AREA. SO I THINK THAT HAS BEEN AN IMMEASURABLE BENEFIT
TO THE SCHOOL CORPORATION. >> AND I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT TO SAY AT THAT TIME, FIVE YEARS AGO AND DOING MY RESEARCH, GOING BACK, IT WAS KIND OF A [INAUDIBLE] TIME, TOO, WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAID NO, NO, NO. WE WANT TO KEEP HSC HOLDING THE NURSES. THERE WAS DEBATE TO GO BACK AND FORTH, AND THE BOARD WENT WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK PARTNERSHIP, PAYING THE NURSES AND HERE WE ARE, AND IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL AND IT'S AN AMAZING ARRANGEMENT. WHO HOLDS THE LIABILITY FOR ANY RISKS OR THE INSURANCE AND THE BENEFITS? IT'S COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK ON BOTH CASES PAY FOR THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST AND HOLD IT FOR THE NURSES AND
STUFF. CORRECT? >> YES. THEY CARRY THEIR OWN INSURANCE, BECAUSE THEY ARE THEIR EMPLOYEES.
>> CORRECT. >> AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NAMED AS AN ADDITIONAL INSURED, BUT WE ALSO -- I MEAN, ANYBODY
>> I'VE HEARD THAT OFFER. YOU CAN SUE A HAM SANDWICH. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TRUE. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE EMPLOYER, BUT WE'RE LISTED AS ADDITIONAL INSURED, AND THERE'S SOME PROVISIONS THAT WE TAKE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD HAVE ASSURED PARTNERS, OUR PROVIDER, REVIEW THOSE AGREEMENTS BEFORE THEY'RE ENACTED.
>> SO IN DOING MY RESEARCH AND GOING THROUGH IT, AND AGAIN, MSL YOU, I'M NOT A CFO, BUT I LOOK AT FINANCES. I LOOK AT OUR INFORMATION. AND THE FIRST THING I'M LOOKING AT IS OUR BUDGET AND IT SAYS, YAH, WE HAVE A 2023 BUDGET AT 282,000. AND WE WENT UP $15 MILLION LAST YEAR. SO WHERE'S THAT 15 MILLION IN I KNOW WE WENT BACK AND FORTH. YOU SHARED INFORMATION THAT IT'S ACCOUNTED FOR ALREADY. I MEAN, WE CAN GO BACK TO 219 AND SEE, WHY, WE WENT UP $41 MILLION IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WOW, THAT'S GREAT. AND YOU LOOK AT THE BIG NUMBERS YOU'VE GOT OUR RATE THAT STAYED THE SAME, OUR AV HAS GONE UP, BUT OUR ADM HAS BEEN FLAT AT 21,000 STUDENTS. AND OUR STAFF HAS BEEN FLAT AT ABOUT 2400 STUDENTS. SO I'M LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET AND I'M LOOKING AT THE FINANCES AND I SEE THAT WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING RELATIONSHIP RIGHT NOW WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK, AND ONE OF THEM IS $33,333 A MONTH THAT WE PAY FOR BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. NOW, TO RECAP THAT, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT AN ORIGINAL CONTRACT FOR THE 12, DID WE ADD ADDITIONAL COSTS, THEN, OR IS THAT STILL COVERING THE
[01:25:01]
ADDITIONAL -- IS THAT STILL THE SAME FEE? FOR NOW WE HAVE 23.>> OKAY. SO NOW MOVING FORWARD, AGAIN, HAS ANYBODY THOUGHT ABOUT REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK AGAIN AND SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH SITUATION. WE WOULD LOVE TO GROW THIS PROGRAM, WORK AND DO SOMETHING WITH YOU. CAN WE CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU SO NOW THEY HAVE THE RISK, THEY HAVE THE COST, THEY ARE HIRING PROFESSIONALS IN THAT INDUSTRY? AND GOING ONTO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK WEBSITE MYSELF, THERE'S 90 POSITIONS OPEN RIGHT NOW WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK. SO I'VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT COMPETING AGAINST THEM AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, LOOKING FOR THESE PROFESSIONALS, WILL BE DIFFICULT. THAT WHY, IF WE HAVE A TRUSTED PARTNERSHIP LOCALLY, DO WE NOT CONSIDER MAYBE TRYING THAT RELATIONSHIP? AND I KNOW THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO SAY IS WE PAY THAT THROUGH THE
REFERENDUM, AND I GET THAT. >> NO, THAT ACTUALLY WASN'T WHAT
I WAS GOING TO SAY. >> BUT WHEN I DID ELEMENTARY MATH, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I JUST WANTED TO FIGURE TO SEE, IS THIS EVEN A THOUGHT PROCESS? AND FORGET ABOUT THE GRANT FOR JUST A MINUTE. IF WE ADDED TEN TO THAT SERVICE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AT $33,333, THAT WOULD BE 2381 DIVIDED BY 14 AT THE TIME, SO WHEN DOING THE MATH, ADDING 2010, THAT'S ANOTHER 23,000, WHICH BRINGS US TO ROUGHLY 5700 AND A DIFFERENCE OF $285,000 AS OPPOSED TO COMING UP WITH $1.3 MILLION ANNUALLY.
SO I'LL SHOW YOU THE MATH AGAIN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT. BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS WE'RE PAYING 33,000 RIGHT NOW. IS THERE A RANGE, HAS ANYBODY CONSIDERED TRYING TO DO AN ARRANGEMENT THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY SUSTAIN WITH LOCAL OBSERVATION AND LOCAL COMMUNICATION? MY CONCERNS, WE WENT BACK DO THE GRANT, NOW TO FLIP OVER TO THERE, NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY'S INTEREST IS ON THE BOARD, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE THINK I FEEL THAT ARE GUIDELINES OR MUST USE OR YOU HAVE TO DO.
GOING LOCALLY, YOU'RE IN CONTROL AND WE'RE IN CONTROL, AND I DON'T LIKE USING THE WORD CONTROL. OVERSIGHT TO NOT BE BEHOLDEN TO SOME RESTRICTIONS THAT MIGHT BE IN OUR GRANT. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO, TO ME WHERE PROVIDING THE SERVICES. I 110 SUPPORT THAT WE NEED MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL SERVICES.
>> I'M GETTING THE LOOK FROM MST TO MAKE HER MAD. I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW. I'M CONFUSED AND I THINK IT WARRANTS MORE DISCUSSION, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GRANT AND I'M TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
FOR A MINUTE. COMMUNITY DOES NOT HIRE SCHOOL COUNSELORS. OR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE TO POSITIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK. THEY HIRE PEOPLE WITH MASTER'S IN SOCIAL WORK, WHICH OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS DO HAVE. SOME OF THEM, LICENSURE THINGS ARE A LITTLE CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE, BUT THE ONLY POSITION THAT COULD GO THROUGH COMMUNITY WOULD BE THE SOCIAL WORK POSITION, AND THIS GRANT FUNDING ISN'T TO BE USED AS A PASS THROUGH.
>> SO THEY DON'T USE PSYCHOLOGISTS?
>> THEY HAVE PSYCHOLOGISTS, BUT WE HIRE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO POSITIONSES.
>> I UNDERSTAND. >> SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENCES, BECAUSE WHILE IT COULD SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA, THERE ARE SOME POXES THAT WE WROTE WITHIN THIS GRANT THAT WOULDN'T BE HIRED THROUGH
COMMUNITY. >> WHEN WITH YOU ROUTED THE GRANT AND WERE AWARDED 5.7 OVER FIVE YEARS, WHEN YOU WROTE THE GRANT, WAS IT FOR THAT AMOUNT OR WAS THERE A TIME THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT? OR MORE THAN THAT? DID YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE AWARD WAS GOING TO BE, OR DID WE HOPE
YOU AT LEAST GET 3 MILLION? >> THEY WERE FULLY FUNDED. WHAT WE ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR WE WERE TOLD THAT
WE GOT. >> I JUST WOULD ADD ON ONE OF OUR SLIDES WAY SHARED THE RANGE THE GRANTA HOWED YOU TO APPLY HALF A MILLION TO $3 MILLION A YEAR PER YEAR OF THE GRANT, AND YOU CAN SEE OUR BREAKOUTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SPEND IN THE GRANT. WE'RE EVEN BELOW THE AVERAGE OF THE GRANT AWARDS PER YEAR. SO THE GOAL IN THIS GRANT, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT WHEN BROOK STARTED OUT, IT WAS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO FUND OUR SOCIAL WORKERS BEYOND THE 2023 YEAR, GOING THE
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FUNDING FROM ESSER WILL RUN OUT WE'VE HAD VERY FAVORABLE DATA THAT SHE PRESENTED IN NOVEMBER THAT SHOWED THE WORK THAT THEY HAD DONE TO THIS POINT, AND SO IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO PURSUE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THEM EMPLOYED. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT, THE IDEA OF WHAT ARE SOME OTHER AREAS THAT WE HAVE HEARD OVER THE YEARS ANECDOTALLY THAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD ALSO STRENGTHENOUR SERVICES BROADLY. >> SO THE BIGGEST CONCERN, THEN, I HAVE IS EVEN AS WELL AS THIS SOUNDS, WE'LL HAVE TO SUSTAIN IT IN YEAR FIVE OR YEAR SIX, AND THIS IS WHERE I COME BACK NOW TO KATIE IS TO SAY, DON'T YOU HAVE ANY -- I MEAN, CONCERNS WITH WE CAN'T READ THE FUTURE. RIGHT? AND SO I KNOW CURRENTLY THERE'S LAW OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THAT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING LOOKED AT AS FAR AS PUTTING CAPS ON REFERENDUM FUNDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN. AND THERE'S ALSO POSSIBLE FREEZE ON PROPERTY TAXES, BECAUSE THEY SAY COMING UP THIS SPRING, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HIT WITH PROPERTY TAXES. SO KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THESE CONCERNS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW TO SUSTAIN, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE GRANT, I THINK IT SAYS THE PEOPLE WE HIRE, THE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE, WE ARE COMMITTING TO MAINTAINING AND SUSTAINING THOSE SALARIES, AND IN MY INFORMATION AND RESEARCH, IT'S NOT 5.$7 MILLION, BECAUSE 5 YEARS FROM NOW, WITH EVERYTHING, IT COULD BE CLOSER TO 6 MILLION, SIX AND A HALF MILLION OF IT'S GOING TO BE MORE. AND I KNOW THAT MS. KATIE, I'M ASKING YOU, DON'T YOU HAVE ANY ALARMS AT ALL? ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HIT THAT FOR WHAT
THE GRANT IS SHOWING US? >> IN A DISTRICT WITH 2400 TOTAL EMPLOYEES, IF WE CAN'T SUSTAIN THREE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, THAT WOULD BE MORE CONCERNING TO ME. SO I MEAN, I WOULD TELL YOU, YES. I MEAN, YES YES, 5% CAP ON REFERENDUM. SHARED SOME INFORMATION AGAINST THAT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WRONG.
VOTERS ALLOWED IT. THERE'S A TALK ABOUT REDUCING TAX CAPS.
WE'RE MANAGING THAT EVERY YEAR. WE'RE MANAGING THAT IN EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, EVERY BUDGET SESSION EVERY TWO YEARS, AND SO WE HAVE A HANDLE ON IT, AT THREE POSITIONS. AND THAT WAS THE POINT OF US ALL SITTING DOWN. 15 POSITIONS, I WOULD TELL YOU NO, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE. THREE POSITIONS A YEAR, ON AVERAGE, YES, I'M COMFORTABLE IT'S SUSTAINABLE.
>> AND I THOUGHT -- AND SO THEN THIS IS THE LAYMAN PART --
>> SUZANNE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO STOP. WE HAVE TO GET READY FOR THE BOARD MEETING. THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS ALSO SIGNING UP TO SPEAK. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION. WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. SO WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN OUR WORK SESSION AND THEN OUR BOARD MEETING
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.