Programs and personnel could change with altered budget
For some students, the counseling office and math resource room are places to receive help whether it is for understanding math or mental health issues, but this may change next year.
The Small Learning Communities grant (SLC), a $1.2 million federal grant Park received the past five years, is set to end at the conclusion of this year.
According to the coordinator for the SLC grant Brad Brubaker, the grant partially funds the advisory classes and the Science and History Accelerating Performance in English (SHAPE) classes, which was intended to help students with reading challenges. The SLC grant also covers the sophomore virtual blocks.
According to Brubaker, the virtual blocks aim to monitor students grades to help them improve.
“We believe that by putting a group of teachers around a common group of students it will generate academic success,” Brubaker said. “They are identifying students before they fall too far behind.”
Additionally at Park, the grant funds SHAPE teachers Susan Blankenship and Linda Tillou, mental health counselor Jeremy Riehle and instructional assistant in the math resource room Will Tanberg’s salaries. The salaries of Chris Weaver, the In School Suspension supervisor, and Brubaker are partially covered by the SLC grant.
Park has begun planning how to help the students Riehle works with. Metz said when he meets with the counselors next week, they will compare what they currently offer to the student body and attempt to ensure Riehle’s responsibilities are covered next year.
“If I leave the high school, it is going to affect the students I work with,” Riehle said. “In particular, my position of providing mental health services to those lacking easy access.”
Metz said he is working with the math and science department heads Julie Wavrunek and Mark Miller on continuing the math resource room, but there will not be a final decision until next month.
Metz said he hopes to maintain all the programs created by the grant and is working toward providing the same services with limited resources.
