Student Wellness/DPIA

The Student Wellness/Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA) information is incorporated into TSD’s Strategic Plan and also the TSD Diversity and Equity Plan. Both plans state that Talawanda School District will provide social and emotional instruction with wrap-around services for students. Students are empowered through TSD programs, designed to in assist in their personal health, wellness and development and to graduate students who become productive members of society through:

Continued implementation of a Health Coordinating Council that will map out the K-12 Health Curriculum and the Social Emotional Curriculum to be implemented K-12.
The Health Coordinating Council will develop, implement, reflect, and adjust the implementation of both the Health and Social Emotional Curriculum based upon demonstrated needs. The fidelity of implementation will also be monitored and ongoing.
Professional development will be provided to staff members in the areas of Health, Social/Emotional needs, PBIS, Crisis Prevention Intervention, Safety, and Trauma Informed Care.
The Talawanda School District will continue to identify and cultivate partnerships and resources to support students, families, and staff. Existing partnerships include Butler County Educational Service Center (partner for this Wellness Funding too), Primary Health Solutions, Oxford Pediatrics|TriHealth, McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital/TriHealth, Best Point, Butler County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services, City of Oxford Fire and Police departments, and the Butler County Sheriff’s organization.
Our partners, administrators, staff, and Health Coordinating Council will continue to identify needs, strengths, and gaps. Supports, resources, and interventions will be provided to individuals and groups based on this ongoing need analysis.
TSD provides student transportation to school-based linked services to provide medical services to maintain health, wellness, and social/emotional services to students (with parent/ guardian permission). Access to physicians, dentists, medical providers, and behavioral health specialists will be part of the usage of funds. Determining new ideas and developing a plan to meet student needs is ongoing.
Providing mental health support and services through our counselors, social workers, student assistance staff, SAP Coordinator, MTSS, and other staff is part of the standard school program.
Mitigating learning loss and increasing mental health supports and resources, both academically and emotionally, to support students in a wrap-around system is a primary component of our school district goals and programs.

Talawanda is on the cutting edge of providing health, wellness, safety, and best practices in mental health and social-emotional support and resources. Currently, we have a Wellness Coordinator, a result of a partnership between the Coalition for a Healthy Community - Oxford Area and the Talawanda School District. TSD also has three social workers, two Success Liaisons, eight counselors, five school psychologists, one student support teacher to aid struggling/failing students (TOL), two alternative school programs, one evening school program, and partnerships with many other agencies. The district supports the Health Coordinating Council composed of Talawanda faculty and staff, as well as community members, who seek to minimize non-academic barriers to learning through district programming, practice and/or policy. We continue to focus on ACES, Trauma Informed Care, Handle with Care, SEL standards, academic standards, and unique student needs. We are currently reflecting and adjusting PBIS within all five buildings. All three elementary buildings will be using PAX Good Behavior Game. We have entered into a partnership to provide health services and access to students who are not served, underserved, or need medical services through a school-linked health services system.

Finding medical services for students who are underserved or not served can be a barrier to student learning, social/emotional health, and achievement. Students sometimes are not able to access medical services to renew medications. Some students may need health, socio-emotional, or medical support. The partnership with Primary Health Solutions, Oxford Pediatrics|TriHealth, Dr. Ritch Hall (substance use counseling), Dr. Bryan Hornfeck (dentistry), and McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital/TriHealth allows many opportunities to serve students and their families. Talawanda has a van and driver that transports students to appointments when needed (with parental consent). TSD will continue planning and working to overcome transportation barriers.

TSD is still seeing the after-effects of the COVID pandemic. Even though 5 years have passed since the COVID Pandemic, students are still struggling academically and socially/emotionally. Our staff has been deeply concerned. The mental health of our students and staff is a primary concern as these factors can negatively impact both student and staff success. We have increased our wellness checks, implementing problem-solving strategies, identification of student needs, and working with our community partners to address concerns. We continue to employ our SAP and MTSS processes to develop plans to meet the unique needs of individual students, small groups of students, trends, and large groups of students. The Student Wellness Funds will help TSD address these needs. The COVID19 (AR and ESSER) funds were used to support students and staff during the pandemic and are no longer available. Local Funds Initiatives (LFI) now support our academic and social-emotional instruction, resources, mental health needs, and learning loss while keeping students and staff safe.

TSD plans to use these (LFI and any other grants) funds to continue and expand our current health, wellness, safety, and social/emotional learning, supports, resources, and best practices to meet the unique individual student needs as well as the overall needs found within each of the five buildings. TSD will continue to maintain and expand our partnerships with other agencies and families. We will collaborate at the district and building level to provide professional development, support, resources, and next steps to sustain the wellness initiatives.

The plan listed addresses the continuation and expansion of the wellness plan identified in the Strategic Plan.

TSD has community partners, staff, administrators, parents and guardians, and outside agencies who provided direct input into the development and implementation of our Strategic Plan, Diversity and Equity Plan, Federal Fund Usage, Student Wellness and DPIA fund Usage, and Safety Plans. All of the input and plans are tied together using state and federal funds, Student Wellness and DPIA funds, grants, and Locally Funded Initiatives (LFI).

TSD has a functional Health Coordinating Council. We have implemented PBIS and are currently reflecting and adjusting PBIS in each building. We collect data through Public School Works (PSW). The data is collected, analyzed, compared to other years, and plans are developed at each building to address the unique needs and trends.

Talawanda school staff have been trained/retrained, and provided professional development to our staff on PBIS, PAX Good Behavior Game, Safety, Handle with Care, and Trauma Informed Care. The schools are using student data to drive the implementation and adjustments needed. All three elementary buildings will be implementing PAX Good Behavior Game. We are learning how to implement PBIS/PAX in our online instruction.

The Strategic Plan also provides goals and steps to ensure student needs are met. Due to recent federal executive orders, our Diversity and Equity Plan has been paused. We continue to collect data using our SAP and MTSS processes. Plans are then implemented, monitored, and adjusted based upon academic and/or social emotional data.

TSD has a Wellness Coordinator who is paid by Talawanda and grants secured through the Coalition For a Healthy Community - Oxford Area. The Wellness Coordinator (WC) advocates for student and family needs at the local and state level. The WC attends professional development and provides professional development to staff, students, and families. The WC cultivates and develops positive relationships with other agencies. As an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist, the WC facilitates evidenced prevention and health promotion strategies. Other strategies focus on positive youth development, protective/risk factors, youth-led prevention, and community engagement through coalition building. The WC collaborates and works with administrators, staff, students, and parents regarding drug related offenses. In conjunction with the WC, plans are developed and implemented to reduce recidivism of drug related offenses in school. WC helps connect families to resources.

TSD students are surveyed every other year to determine their thoughts and perceptions on their own behaviors and attitudes on a variety of health-related issues in grades 7-12.. Based upon that data, the staff and the Health Coordinating Council develop and implement training, support, and resources. This rich data set guides our prevention and early intervention efforts as a district and as a community. Our wellness efforts will be measured by these survey results.

The data has been analyzed. Students and staff who have been identified at being “at risk” are then offered programs, resources, and support. Staff is encouraged to use the services found in the EAP. The staff reaches out to TSD families to discuss needs, not only for the child(ren), but also for their families. Wrap-around services, counseling, mental health supports and resources, and check-ins are some of the services offered to our students and families. Each school building in our district has counselors, social workers, psychologists, and a mental health provider (Best Point or Primary Health). We are able to provide services to students within our buildings.

TSD has three social workers, two Success Liaisons, eight counselors, five nurses, five school resource officers, one SAP Coordinator, two alternative programs, one TOL program, one evening school program, five school psychologists, and one Wellness Coordinator who work with students, staff, and families. Social workers, counselors, Success Liaisons, psychologists, WC, and SROs provide education, support, and resources to individuals and groups. The social workers and school resource officers conduct wellness checks during crises, referrals, or identified needs. They also are working with our many partners to provide support and services to families via telehealth, in-person, or other avenues.

The Health Coordinating Council meets on a monthly basis. The WC staff member facilitates the meetings with our community partners and staff and priorities are identified. Strategies are then implemented to increase student achievement, wellness, and wrap-around services.

TSD has entered into a partnership with McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital/TriHealth, Primary Health Solutions, and Oxford Pediatrics to develop a school-linked health program, similar to a school-based health center. We also have a partnership with local dentists, Primary Health, and medical providers to provide medical, health and wellness providers to address other student needs. We have secured a van and driver. The van driver assists students in getting to medical appointments (with parental consent) or therapy when needed.

The THS Student Assistance Program teacher (SAP) provides support and services to students who are struggling, failing, or not attending school. Not only does this person monitor and develop individual plans with each student/family, but the SAP Coordinator works collaboratively with staff, probation officers, mental health agencies, medical providers, and other agencies to ensure a comprehensive plan is developed, monitored, adjusted as needed, and implemented.

Talawanda School District is a rural school district that covers 144 square miles. Transportation and communication are barriers within this large rural school district.

The social workers, psychologists, Success Liaisons, Wellness Coordinator, Student Assistant Programs, MTSS, alternative and evening programs, ESL/ELL staff, nurses, community partners, and staff are needed to address the following:

Growing low socio-economic numbers;
English as a Second Language numbers (ESL);
Societal needs that include single parenting, grandparents raising children, drugs, families needing two working parents to make ends meet, families living paycheck to paycheck;
Students entering Kindergarten who are not yet prepared;
Increased mental health needs;
Increased number of students and families who are not served or are underserved medically;
Changing demographics result in the need for Talawanda staff to implement these initiatives because student needs are not met or bandaged, which does not resolve the issue.
Mental health concerns due to student isolation and other factors
COVID19 crisis continued to impact all (even though pandemic has been over)
Barriers and needs that prohibit the development of the “whole” child
Nursing, counseling, and academic/behavior supports have increased due to COVID19, student needs, societal changes, the opioid epidemic, and safety concerns to ensure student physical and mental health needs are met
Students needing alternative programming, education, strategies, and wrap-around services

Student needs continue to change each and every year. Talawanda School District staff struggle to reflect and adjust. TSD needs to continue to reflect on the needs, strengths, and determine what is working and not working. It takes staff and time. It also takes partnerships, resources, and support which are a barrier that are proactive. The Student Wellness and DPIA funds help Talawanda provide these services.

There has been an increase of students attending Talawanda School District who are medically not served or underserved. Some of these students attend school unhealthily and are not engaged or learning at their potential. Some of these students miss school due to a lack of medical care and are not in school to learn. Some students and families struggle with mental health services and prescriptions needed to treat the students. Students who are not served with adequate medical and social-emotional support often have increased Code of Conduct infractions, and increased discipline such as detentions, in-school suspensions, suspensions, and expulsions. These students attend school without the necessary support, medications, and resources -- resulting in the student’s inability to achieve and learn at their potential. Communication and transportation in a rural 144-square-mile school district are challenges to both our families and staff.

TSD also continues our alternative and evening school programs. We have expanded the alternative program into middle school. TSD offers a “zero bell” where high school students take additional classes in the morning and students on alternative programs/schedules start earlier. TSD offers an evening opportunity for students with daycare issues for their own children, schedule conflicts, or are in need of an alternative type of setting. TSD provides a daily alternative program to meet the needs of students.

TSD also is providing instruction to students to address the need to NOT repeat unhealthy behaviors. The WC works with families and students regarding addiction, mental health needs, and other disciplinary actions. Upon the violation of a substance use policy, students are offered a course/courses to learn about the negative attributes due to drugs, alcohol, and other negative behaviors. The middle and high school students develop and implement a plan. The administrators, counselors, WC, and other staff members help monitor the plans. TSD staff are learning and focusing on increasing our knowledge and strategies involving Restorative Practices to limit recidivism.

This plan only touches the tip of the iceberg. While we have other initiatives and goals found in the Strategic Plan and Diversity and Equity Plan, we understand the limitations to support, finances, and resources. TSD has long-term and short-term plans to help move TSD forward.

TSD appreciates these wellness funds as it provides the Talawanda School District with an opportunity to continue and expand our plans.

Initiative Details (Collect data by initiative using entry fields).

Initiative Title: Talawanda School District’s Health and Wellness and DPIA Funds

*LFI means locally funded initiatives paid by Talawanda School District and not the Wellness funds

Initiative Description:

These Wellness Funds will be used for the following initiatives:

Salaries for three full-time social workers, two Success Liaisons, one school nurse, one counselor, one SAP Coordinator, THS), one evening school (THS), and one full-time Wellness Coordinator (TSD funds pay approximately 50% of the WC salary while rest is funded through grants)l. The social workers will work with students, families, and staff to identify needs and provide resources and support identified. Social workers will also provide direct services and resources to students and staff in the buildings. Social workers will focus on health and wellness as well as the social-emotional standards along with identified needs. Social workers will work with psychologists, administrators, counselors, and Student Assistant Program/MTSS/PBIS staff members in all of the K-12 buildings. There is a social worker or Success Liaison at each building. Increased family engagement with the school staff and outside community agencies occurs with our social workers.

Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI). Staff members have been trained on best practices on how to de-escalate student behaviors and implement best practices and safe behavior management methods that focus on prevention first. Two staff members who are trainers train staff members each year at Talawanda. The administration team and several identified educators have been trained in CPI. Phases of training is required annually. Student needs are met. Safety is increased with CPI. Staff learn how to de-escalate students. PSW also provides training to our staff that is completed annually by staff.

We are looking to train an additional staff member to be a CPI trainer to our staff in the 2025-26 school year. This will allow us to train new employees as well as provide required refresher training.

CPI manuals and resources are needed to train the staff. The Trainers will train Talawanda staff on proactive and best practices in CPI. The manuals are required for annual training. Safety is increased with CPI. Staff learn how to de-escalate students.

Professional Development of all PK-12 staff to increase knowledge and best practices regarding student health, wellness, safety, health, wellness and mental health support, online instruction, technology, PBIS/PAX, alternative methods to work with students and families based on best practices, decrease drop out, increase student attendance, increase positive supports, and implement ACES/Trauma Informed Care. Staff will participate in professional development that will increase staff’s knowledge and skills. Staff will learn to identify high-risk behaviors and intervene proactively and reactively. Staff will work with building leadership teams, student assistance programs, MTSS, social workers, partnered agencies, and other needed staff and agencies. Staff also have learned technical skills, how to conduct online instruction, and provide supports to our students and families. Staff participate and learn about safety, health and wellness, and strategies to meet students’ unique needs in both academics and socially/emotionally.

Homeless Transportation: Homeless transportation was provided by Talawanda School District, Petermann, EverDriven and other transportation arrangements to ensure students attended Talawanda School District. Students were also provided services by Social Workers, staff, mental health agencies, and Wellness Coordinator to increase student health and wellness. While Talawanda was providing online instruction, identified students still needed to be transported to other schools and locations. The goal is to increase attendance, reduce dropout rates, increase graduation rate, and increase social/emotional and academic behaviors/achievement. These transportation plans remain in place.

Additional building substitutes (1 per building: Total 5) provide instruction to our students when staff are absent. There also has been a lack of substitutes available to teach. While we believe that our own teachers and staff are the best individuals to provide education, we know the lack of substitutes or having different people substitute who do not know the systems and curriculum jeopardizes our student’s health and wellness. By having these building substitutes, we are able to train these substitutes who then can implement the services and strategies found in our plans. Safety is increased with the building substitutes. PBIS and procedures are implemented with fidelity due to these positions.

Nurses and Substitute nurses who work hand in hand with the Butler County Health Department provide additional duties to ensure student needs are met. Along with the regular nursing duties found in our buildings (i.e. SBIRT screenings, vision and hearing screenings, vaccination checks, wellness checks, family notification, g-tube feedings, diabetic care, etc.), our substitute nurses support the ongoing in-person nursing operations, support to families and students, and increase student health and wellness including self-care. It increases family engagement. Referrals are made to appropriate providers as needed.

Alternative Scheduling and Programming through SAP Coordinator, MTSS, SAP, WC, staff, and community partners. Students are able to access services, instruction, and mental health needs through the high school zero bell, evening school, and alternative daily programs. The middle school provides day treatment to identified students who also need wrap-around services. We provide an option of schedules to meet student needs in these alternative programs. These programs increase attendance, academic intervention, passing grades, earning credits, PBIS, and prevent student drop out. School safety has also increased. Family engagement is also increased.

Transportation to dental and medical appointments are provided by a Talawanda employee with the use of a Talawanda van. Students with family permission are scheduled and attend appointments. This alleviates the barrier of transportation in our rural school district. These activities increase student attendance and wellness. It increases family engagement. Partnerships with medical providers, MU, BCESC, and other agencies are increased.

Past:

2023-24 Final School Year Expenditure

Student Wellness Funds: 4 social workers salaries and benefits $260,900.10

DPIA Funds: TOL staff, Evening School teacher 1/7th of time, SAP teacher, part of

THS Counselor and Alternative School Teacher salaries and benefits $167,208.36

Rest is funded through LFI including grants

Current:

2024-25 Final School Year Expenditure for SY 2024-2025.

Student Wellness Funds: $172,395.96 ($193,476.26 from Student Wellness Funds) social workers/success liaisons salaries and benefits

DPIA Funds: $428,621.98 ($160,389.10 from DPIA Funds) TOL staff, Evening School teacher 1/7th of time, SAP teacher, part of THS Counselor and Alternative School Teacher salaries and benefits

Rest is funded through LFI including grants

Future:

2025-26 Final School Year Expenditure

We will add this amount toward the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

*NOTE: We do not know the exact money we will receive in our General Fund for Student Wellness and DPIA funds. We may need to modify amounts based upon money received. However, programs listed in this document will be implemented and paid through Student Wellness/DPIA funds, LFI and/or grants.

Community Partner Category Included in the Planning for this Initiative (Select All that Apply):

Educational Service Center (Butler County Educational Service Center)
Community-based mental health treatment provider (Primary Health, Best Pointe,, Butler County Health Department, community partners like McCullough Hyde/TriHealth, Dr. Hall, and Dr. Hornfeck)
Other: City of Oxford Police and Fire, Butler County Sheriff, Miami University, community members

Community Partner Name(s):

Butler County Educational Service Center
Primary Health/McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital/Tri-Health/Oxford Pediatrics
Best Point
Butler Behavioral Health
City of Oxford Police and Fire
Butler County Sheriff
Miami University
Community members
Coalition for a Healthy Community - Oxford Area
Success Liaisons
EverDriven Transportation
Petermann
Lane Library-Oxford
Oxford Parks and Recreation Department
Health coordinating Council

How TSD will measure the success of these initiatives:

Every other year, Talawanda students in grades 7-12 participate in the Prevention First! Student Survey. This survey asks students in grades 7-12 to provide information related to their own behaviors and attitudes on a variety of health-related issues. This rich data set guides our prevention and early intervention efforts as a District and as a community. The wellness efforts will be measured by these survey results.

TSD uses an MTSS/PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory exercise annually to review our practices. We use a survey called Second Chance to survey and teach skills to our students. The number of students identified as “at risk” will be identified. Services will be documented to students who are “at risk”.

TSD will monitor student academic progress, disciplinary actions, and positive behavior support through SAP, MTSS, and data collected with the targeted students as a result of additional student support/wellness measures and DPIA.

Talawanda administration and staff will provide a report of progress on Mental Health and Wellness Update from our WC and Social Worker's/Success Liaison, and buildings at least once during the year at a Board of Education meeting.

TSD and partners will monitor the usage of the van to transport students for health, medical, educational, and wellness visits and report the number of students who access the van transportation when students return back to school.

TSD also tracks the number of students requiring homeless transportation to ensure students attend school on a regular basis.

Talawanda staff are documenting, conducting wellness checks, and connecting students/families to appropriate supports, resources, and agencies.

TSD has entered into a partnership with Butler Educational Service Center who provides the Talawanda School District, staff, and programs with support, resources, and consultation.

TSD will also monitor credit recovery, credits earned, passing grades, and graduation rates.

TSD will also note expenditures and progress in the Treasurer’s financial Board updates and 5 year plan and presentations/information shared with the Board and community at Board meetings.

Other Links and Resources:

Talawanda website: www.talawanda.org
Talawanda Finance: https://www.talawanda.org/departments/treasurer-finance/
Taalwanda Social Workers: https://www.talawanda.org/departments/school-social-workers/
Talawanda Counselors:https://www.talawanda.org/departments/school-counseling/
Talawanda Strategic Plan: https://www.talawanda.org/departments/superintendent/strategic-plan/
Health and Wellness: https://www.talawanda.org/departments/health-and-wellness/
Student Services:https://www.talawanda.org/departments/student-services/
Family Resources HUB: https://www.talawanda.org/family-resources-hub/

TSD will provide the Board of Education and community and update all on the usage of the initiatives and plans including Student Wellness and DPIA expenditures (also found in the financial reports).