Eminence R-I was awarded the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) in the Fall of 2023. The award amount was $400,000 over three years.
With the SCG funds two Community Healthcare Workers (CHWs) were hired. These CHWs will be stationed one in the Elementary and one in the High School. They will be available for the students as needed to work through different problems and support them in their education and home life. This support will ensure that we reduce the barriers for all of our students to access and participate in the complete school experience.
The CHWs will work to identify various needs of the students at Eminence R-I and coordinate with the families, community members, and local partnerships to meet these needs. These could range from a new coat, or running water at home, or even to counseling services. To help support the CHWs in reducing barriers for the children at Eminence R-I, a portion of the SCG funds will be set aside to help offset the cost of supplying needed and required schooling supplies, hygiene products, and clothing. The CHWs will also work with the families to ensure that they are well informed as to their child's academic progress and educational needs. This could include meetings about attendance issues, chronic nurse visits, and even an unreasonable number of missing assignments.
The goals of the Eminence SCG are based on the Eminence CSIP Priority Area 2 Goals.
Goal 1: By 2028, students will annually improve with the goal of meeting the state academic standards by increasing parent involvement.
Objective: Increase parent involvement and participation strategies to enhance a sense of belonging for students which leads to better student attendance and better academic achievement.
Goal 2: By 2028, student attendance will annually improve with the goal of meeting the state attendance standard by emphasizing the importance of regular school attendance and consistent academic participation in the daily instructional process.
Objective: Increase the attendance of our current students at Eminence R-I and conduct outreach to those children in the community that do not currently attend public school.
Goal 3: By 2028, student attendance will annually improve with the goal of meeting the state attendance standards by promoting the well-being of students beyond the academic portion of the school day.
Objective: Increase a sense of student belonging by providing a safe, comfortable, and welcoming school experience free of limitations from outside of the school setting.
These CHWs will also have at their disposal a budget for necessary supplies to ensure a quality educational experience for the students at Eminence. Several research studies and evidence-based arguments support the importance of ensuring that students have access to these essential supplies. These can include shoes and coats, deodorant and toothpaste, as well as traditional academic supplies.
We are pleased to share that Janet Barrett will be the Community Healthcare Worker for Eminence Elementary and Tony Vincent will be the Community Healthcare Worker for Eminence High School. Both individuals will begin duties in January 2024.