Four Kentucky school districts will receive millions of dollars to help address student mental health challenges and improve the learning environment in class.
The federal grants are part of the "Now is the Time" initiative.
Martin Middle School and Sheldon Clark High School in Martin County will get $1.5 million over five years. The school climate transformation grants announced this week aim to improve behavioral outcomes and learning conditions. There are various tiers to the program. School Psychologist Paul Baker says about 1,000 students could be impacted. "We're going to do character education, conflict resolution. Like, kids every day will be taught these skills. That's kind of our prevention level," said Baker.
Baker says teacher training will begin next year. He says fast-tracking mental health services for identified students will be one objective. "We're doing training to help teachers be more effective at addressing those behaviors and recognizing kids that are having difficulties. You know what we find is a lot of kids fall through the cracks, can slip through the cracks because the system is not robust enough to meet all the needs that are out there," said Baker
?
Baker says the Newtown school shooting tragedy was a driving force for the program. In addition to the eastern Kentucky school district, federal grants will also be awarded to the Louisville and Corbin school systems and the West Kentucky Educational Cooperative.?
