by Natasha L. Adams, Superintendent
West Clermont Schools
West Clermont has been working diligently to strengthen its wraparound services to eliminate barriers to learning and fully transform our schools and communities so that students are at the center. The heart of our work is ensuring every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
We’ve had many notable advancements over the past five years, including:
- The Wolves Wellness Center is located at the middle school and is designed to provide optometry, general care, mental health services, and dentistry (including mobile dentistry services).
- Wolves Wellness Transportation provides school door-to-doctor’s office service during the school day to ensure students have the care they need.
- Stop the Spread COVID-19 protocols were developed by the Student Services Team including our nurses, health aides, contact tracers and administrators.
- We strengthened our multi-tiers of supports (MTSS) to include Caring Schools curriculum for grades K-8 and Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports (PBIS) frameworks.
- Grew the number of student services staff and engagement specialists to address chronic absenteeism.
- Received a grant to fund a Parent Mentor for families of students with special needs.
- Provided trauma-informed care, poverty simulation, crisis prevention, Signs of Suicide, and Traumatic Event Crisis Intervention Plan (TECIP) professional development to staff.
- Added student leadership programming including HOPE Squad (suicide prevention), LinkCrew and W.E.B. to support the transition to middle and high school.
- Expanded Child Nutrition’s healthy choices through student voice and choice, and offered free breakfast and lunch to all students thanks to pandemic-related federal funding.
- Began offering the Wellness Connections program to staff to support a healthy lifestyle and overall well-being.
- Developed comprehensive safety plans (physical, social-emotional, and cyber safety) and practice protocols in collaboration with local first responders.
- Created more engaging, student-centered classrooms thanks to leadership development and district-wide building walk-thrus.
- Expanded WCYourFuture programming to help all students grow their engagement and hope for the future through career awareness and exploration.
- Introduced the Wolfpack Hub to increase our ability to connect our families with resources.
- Added school psychologists at our elementary schools and counselors at our middle and high schools.
We are acting with urgency because we know the global pandemic shined a spotlight on the challenges our students face with respect to basic needs, including access to nutritious food, healthcare services, and safe, warm, and enriched environments.
Director of Student Services Eric Dool and I have been meeting with the district’s partners to strengthen and expand our services through a new WC Whole Child Network. We will continue to refine our definition of student success and partner with our families and community to make forward progress. As always, our goal is to set all students up for success so they can effectively engage in learning and have hope for their future with a plan for post-graduation. Through this work, we expect improved student attendance, increased student engagement, and higher academic performance.
Early REACT survey results show that the safety and wellness of students and staff is a top priority for our stakeholders. We will be engaging in additional surveys, Town Hall meetings, and focus group sessions over the next several months. Please join us on April 21 at 7 p.m. at Holly Hill Elementary or May 3 at 7 p.m. at Willowville Elementary for a Town Hall meeting. You can get your questions answered and share your thoughts on meeting the needs of the whole child and other topics related to the future of West Clermont. Register today, and thanks for helping us write our next chapter.
