Elementary. Such programs are in keeping with
the district’s culture, Ms. Miles said.
“We have a lot of professional development and
emphasis on meeting kids where they are and
building from there,” said Ms. Miles.
Through the HEROES program, every school
in the district has a master’s-level therapist, as
well as a case manager, in addition to school
guidance counselors. With HEROES in place,
guidance counselors have more time to focus
on helping kids in academics and other ways.
Concentration of resources is based on the needs
of individual schools.
An important component of the program is the
presence in schools of highly trained school
resource officers (SROs). The district’s ten SROs
come from the local police department; all are
accomplished law enforcement officers, and
most have also completed mental health training
to identify student needs that aren’t strictly disciplinary. The officers are an integral part of each
school’s team. At one JCS school, an SRO was
voted top staff member of the year by the entire
school staff and PTA, Dr. Wallace said. While
funding for these officers was originally provided by the federal SS/HS grant, the Johnson City
Police Department now pays for this portion of the
HEROES program.
JCS began investing in mental health support in
the late 1970s, using money from the district’s
budget for special needs students. Offerings were
expanded over the years when the district was
able, eventually reaching expenditures of about
$80,000 each year in 2008. The SS/HS grant
allowed JCS to build massively on existing programs, spending about $1 million annually on
HEROES.
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“What allowed us to do the big piece was that
we started building the small piece. If you start
carving out little pieces, you’ll see the benefits
and the need, and you can start growing it,” said
Dr. Wallace. “We’re just reaching the tip of the
iceberg on providing services and support to
schools. Look at the Maslow model. If you’re not
meeting basic needs first, the rest won’t happen.”
For parent Anne Godfrey, JCS’s blend of high academic expectations and strong student support
adds up to a district that has served her family
well.
“They aren’t afraid to expect excellence from the
students and have put the tools in place to make
that happen. They’ve also created such a warm,
supportive environment,” Ms. Godfrey said.
“Students feel comfortable stepping out of their
comfort zones and trying something new. That’s
where the growth occurs.”