Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
PIERCETON - A counseling program started at Whitko Schools five years ago has become a model program for other school corporations.
Tim Nussbaum, representing the Bowen Center, told the Whitko School Board Monday the Student Assistance Program was devised between Whitko and the Bowen Center in 1999. Since then, other school corporations have contracted with the Bowen Center for similar programs - Warsaw, Wabash County, Wabash Metro, Columbia City and East Allen County schools. This year, four more school systems have added the program.
"They all have come from the model that started here," said Nussbaum.
More than 40,000 students now have the opportunity for two free counseling sessions at the Bowen Center through the program.
Nussbaum said 70 percent of the time, students go on for more counseling. That, he said, tells him the students are getting something out of the counseling sessions.
When the program at Whitko first began, the money to pay for the sessions came out of the school corporation's budget. Then the schools began tapping into the Drug Free and Safe grant money.
After the first two free sessions, the counseling sessions are paid for through the student's family's insurance or self-pay.
The most common problems students have, Nussbaum said, include adjustment disorders and depression. Sometimes depression is the underlying problem for other problems a student may have, such as drinking.
Several new features were added to Whitko's program this year.
First, Nussbaum said, the certificate program allows guidance counselors to offer an additional free counseling session to those students whom the counselors think need it. Only 40 additional sessions are available.
Another option is a pilot program at Whitko schools. If a problem identified in a student comes from the home, the Bowen Center has extended the two free sessions to include the parents.
The Bowen Center is getting the word out about the student assistance program through several means.
At the Manchester-Whitko football game, the Bowen Center threw out footballs. Representatives meet with school guidance counselors every month. And around Thanksgiving, on Fox 55 TV, Nussbaum said, a commercial about the program was aired featuring Whitko students.
The week after it ran, Nussbaum said, "We were flooded with calls from parents who wanted to get their kids into counseling."
After Nussbaum's presentation, school board chairman Dave Tranter said, "Sounds like the program is running fine."
In other business, the school board:
• Approved the 2005-06 school calendar, which includes snow makeup days built into it.
The first student day will be Aug. 16. Christmas vacation begins Dec. 19 and school resumes Jan. 2, 2006. Spring break is April 3-7, 2006.
The snow makeup days are April 28, May 5, May 12 and May 19, 2006.
Dates for the end of the trimesters are Nov. 11, Feb. 22 and May 31.
If needed, additional weather-related makeup days for students will be scheduled at the end of the regular school year, beginning on June 1.
• Approved the bids for cafeteria supplies. Bids were received from Gordon Food Service and Stanz Foodservice. Gordon Food Service was awarded 135 items and Stanz Foodservice was awarded 46 items.
• Heard a report from Superintendent Dr. Jeff Hendrix on Whitko's ISTEP scores. Scores were down, but the corporation is working to raise them, he said.
At Pierceton Elementary School, students overall scored 72 in English and 61 in math, compared to 74 and 71 respectivelly last year.
South Whitley Elementary students scored 76 in English and 77 in math, compared to 87 and 81 last year.
Whitko Middle School's scores this year were 66 (62 last year) in English and 72 (69 last year) in math for grade six; 70 (65) in English, and 77 (81) in math for grade eight.
Members of the Whitko School Board are Pete Mitchell, E. Marie Trump, Dave Tranter, Hal Trump and Michael Braddock. They meet at 7:30 p.m. in the administration building, Pierceton, on the third Monday of every month.
