Springfield, Tecumseh, 9 other districts get more than $500K for safer, healthier schools

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the recipients of the Stronger Connections Grant Awards last week, with more than 700 schools and districts receiving $33.3 million in funds to “support student physical and mental health, and safe and supportive environments.”

“The Stronger Connections grant strengthens our commitment to ensuring students are safe and have the resources they need while addressing the mental and physical health needs that are critical to ensuring students are ready to learn and be successful in the classroom and in life,” DeWine said.

The local schools that will receive a total of $505,866.50 in grants include: Clark-Shawnee with $20,967.41, Graham with $14,079.54, Greenon with $13,657.10, Mechanicsburg Exempted Village with $8,135.94, Northeastern with $23,226.49, Northwestern with $13,338.77, Springfield City with $234,818.23, Tecumseh with $86,979.29, Triad with $60,271.05, Urbana City with $25,392.68, and West Liberty-Salem with $5,000.

The districts received either a Tier 1 or Tier 2 award based on health and safety factors, which included rates of poverty, chronic absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. Some districts that demonstrated the highest need also received a Tier 3 award.

Springfield, Tecumseh and Triad are the three local districts to also receive a Tier 3 award, with Springfield receiving the most.

“(The funding) will go toward providing our students with critical, individualized and in-depth services that they may not have been able to receive outside of the school building otherwise,” said communications specialist Jenna Leinasars.

Springfield will use the funds on expanded 1:1 and small group counseling and coaching; extended online counseling to high schoolers; and focused attention to specialized groups. It also will partner with nonpublic schools so students who live in the district but attend those schools will receive mental health services; support student-led groups that are focused on improving student mental health, and the district will host parent workshops to give families the necessary tools to support students.

At Tecumseh, Superintendent Paula Crew said a large portion of the funding will be used to offset the cost of hiring an additional school resource officer for this school year, bringing them to a total of two full-time SRO deputies, and to pay for professional development in the area of mental health and positive behavior supports.

“The safety and welfare of our students and staff members are of utmost concern to us,” she said. “This grant has given us the opportunity to add additional safety measures and supports to our current safety and wellness plans.”

Triad will use the funds for additional training to develop a system of support, design ways to help families and students become involved in the problem-solving process, develop coaching skills to help teachers diagnose the root cause of problems and create action plans, and to support the school navigator and district counselor, said Superintendent Vickie Hoffman.

As for other schools, they will use funds on various items: Clark-Shawnee will increase access to school-based mental health services; Northeastern will add additional resources to their School Safety Plan; and Northwestern will expand their psychological, social, emotional, and mental health services.

Urbana will increase student safety and possibly add a second school resource officer; Graham will support the Elementary Student, Family, and Community Support Coordinator, who works directly with students to provide support and connects families with outside resources; and Mechanicsburg will invest in the student support services program by partnering with the Madison-Champaign Educational Service Center (ESC) to bring providers to the school for additional counseling support.

“It is proven that safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments are associated with improved academic achievement and the emotional well-being of students,” said Graham Superintendent Chad Lensman.

The Ohio Department of Educated awarded funds to districts and community schools based on high needs for school health and safety. In total, 747 out of 924 eligible schools and districts applied and received a grant award, which is a supplement to the Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment program.

For more information, visit the Stronger Connections Grant webpage.