Student Support Specialists

Purpose of Program

The purpose of this program is:

1.  To diminish the suspension and dropout rates for the district by identifying students who are at risk for school disengagement
2. To support the improvement of the culture and climate school and district-wide to establish a safe space for learning and emotional and social growth.

Goal 1:

Target students included those who fall between the cracks, identified by a lack of connection, frequent referrals to the office, obvious emotional and academic challenges, outside of those identified as Special Education, and students with frequent absence and tardiness. The role of the staff person is to establish collaborative relationships with parents, staff, administration, and students to create a culture and environment that supports the student through advocacy and support.

This can occur through:

1. Interpersonal interactions,
2. Home visits for connection and assessments,
3. Meetings with teachers and other support staff,
4. Intervention-based programming,
5. Community support referrals (mental health evaluations, extra-curricular activities, mentoring, etc.), and
6. Focused and intentional attempts to understand student need.

Goal 2:

To operate from a solution-focused paradigm with a client-centered approach to serving the school community. This will occur through ongoing assessment of the culture and climate of the building and school community and the development of intervention strategies to facilitate growth oriented improvement. We intend to support the district in closing the achievement gap for minority groups, decrease overall suspension rates and student transiency, and increase the graduation rate over time through intentional support in early education for all students.

District-Wide Principles:
 

1. A Culture of Caring

   • Children, families and the community are welcomed into a safe and nurturing environment. A culture where people are respected and treated with dignity, and diversity is valued because it adds to the richness of our community.

2. A Culture of Collaboration

   • We intend to create an environment where extensive and strategic partnerships with a wide variety of stakeholders, invigorates and energizes our school community as it moves towards excellence.

3. A Culture of Excellence

   • We wish to provide a high quality education in preparation to be competitive in an increasingly global economy.