Adult & Child Health and Perry Township Schools are proud recipients of Indiana’s Student Learning Recovery Grant Program to help accelerate student learning. They were awarded $5.3 million of $122 million in state grant funds awarded to 110 schools and community partners by Governor Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). The Student Learning Recovery Program provides grants to schools and partners to support K-12 students who have fallen behind academically due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges. As Perry Township Schools educators help bridge learning gaps in math, literacy, and college/career readiness that may have occurred during remote learning, Adult & Child will use evidence-based programming to help teachers and staff address the stressors or traumas that students may be navigating. Adult &
Patrick Mapes, Superintendent, Tara Elsner, Director of School Based Services, Kim Rompala, Asst Director of School Based Services, Vickie Carpenter, Asst Superintendent for Foundational Learning
Child delivers life-enhancing physical, social, and behavioral healthcare services so families can live happy and healthy lives. When behavioral health concerns, delayed development issues, or other life stressors interfere with a child’s ability to learn, Adult and & Child specialists intervene to get students back on track.
“With the expertise of Adult & Child, along with our school social workers, we can meet the social-emotional needs of our students more effectively,” said Vickie Carpenter, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools. “The pandemic has caused many of our students to feel isolated since they’ve had less interaction with their peers. Extra support from Adult & Child will help our kids with social-emotional learning and relationship building, which are critical components of achieving academic success.”
“Community partners and educators are teaming up like never before to accelerate student learning this summer and in the years ahead,” Gov. Holcomb said. “We know that igniting student learning demands unprecedented collaboration from us all — educators, local leaders, community groups, parents and, beyond. As these programs launch now and over the coming weeks, it’s an exciting time to be in an Indiana classroom.”
With grant funding, Adult & Child will provide SEL Specialists will provide individual and group support to students based on their academic and social/emotional needs. In addition, the SEL Specialists will work with families to provide a comprehensive level of support. Our SEL Specialist will also train teachers and staff in understanding trauma and its effects on student learning. This training will equip educators to support students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs in school and at home. Social-emotional wellness can remove barriers to education, decrease tardiness and absenteeism, and improve classroom behaviors.
“Social-emotional health is crucial, in general,” said Tara Elsner, Adult and Child Director of School-Based Services. “But as we examine how the pandemic has impacted the mental health of children, it is essential for all of us to look beyond grades and address signs of anxiety, depression, or trauma-related conditions.”