Superintendent Update
January 10, 2025
- January 20: No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 25: 2:00pm - PDC Lunar New Year Celebration at John Glenn Middle School
- February: Black History Month
- February 3-7: National School Counseling Week
- February 13: Early Dismissal for Lane & Davis Schools ONLY
At the school committee meeting on Tuesday, January 7th members approved the FY26 Budget after the Open FY26 Budget Hearing. During this meeting, they also approved the SY26 District Calendar & Religious/Cultural Holidays for the upcoming school year. The next meeting is on Tuesday, January 14th via Zoom Webinar only, when the committee will consider updates to the BHS program of study and the district's homeless student policy. The full agenda, schedule, and supporting materials can always be found at School Committee - Meeting Schedule & Supporting Documents.
We are excited to share updates about our commitment to supporting students' social-emotional well-being and mental health. This year, our district was awarded a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Behavioral, and Mental Health and Wellness Grant of $148,575 to adapt, expand, and strengthen our multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Out of 140 applicants, we were one of 60 districts selected for this grant, which enables us to:
Address the SEL, behavioral, and mental health needs of students and families.
Build partnerships with community-based mental health providers.
Create comprehensive mental health systems to support all students.
A key component of this initiative is our partnership with Cartwheel Care, a trusted provider of mental health services for schools. Cartwheel offers rapid access to therapy, medication evaluation and management, parent and family support, and staff workshops. Their services are virtual, inclusive, and affordable, with no waitlists. I encourage you to check out Dr. Marianne Vines's latest newsletter, where she shares updates and insights on student services and programs designed to support your children. As part of our next steps, we will select a universal mental health screener to better identify and address the needs of our students. This screener will allow us to proactively detect stressors, trauma, and mental health concerns to ensure every child receives the support they need to thrive. More details will be shared in future updates.