Wahluke School District to receive positive learning climate grant

YAKIMA — The Wahluke School District will be receiving funds to establish a positive learning climate for students at Wahluke Junior High and Wahluke High School. The district is one of approximately seven school districts in the Yakima Educational Service District to receive the money, according to a press release from the Yakima Educational Service District on Monday, Oct. 14.

“A five-year grant of more than $3.7 million from the U.S. Dept. of Education will support efforts to promote positive learning climates for students attending several middle schools and high schools in south central Washington,” stated the press release. “The grant will fund the hiring of a project director/trainer and other staff who will conduct the program’s activities with the schools. Staff will provide training and coaching to school educators in implementing the multi-tier system of supports, and in providing classroom curricula designed to promote positive personal choices that will facilitate stronger learning opportunities. Staff will also be involved in facilitating referrals to mental health services for students being recommended for screenings.”

The Yakima Educational Service District is hoping to have 12 schools participating in the grant to have a framework in place by the end of the 2019-2020 school year. The goal of the grant is to have an annual 10 percent decrease in suspensions and 10 percent increase in state math and English scores. During each school year, suicide prevention strategies are to be implemented.

Opioid abuse prevention strategies are to be in place by September 2020. The goal is to decrease student opioid and alcohol use by 10 percent annually each year and drug abuse by 5 percent annually.

“Much of the work being funded by the grant will help establish or more fully implement the use of an intervention approach called “multi-tier system of supports” at each school,” the press release stated. “This practice involves scaled procedures of one-on-one help and small group interventions addressing a student’s behavior, social and emotional needs, and absenteeism. Schools are able to use a multi-tier system of supports framework to identify struggling students early in order to initiate assistance and resolutions more quickly. This process of addressing social and emotional learning issues involves developing a student’s skills in managing emotions, setting goals, and making responsible decisions toward building a foundation for a student’s increased success in school and life.”

“Elementary schools have been doing work in positive behavior intervention support for a long time,” said Kevin Chase, Yakima Educational Service District superintendent. “This new grant will now help middle school and high schools get the resources they need to put solid interventions in place for their students and help them stay in school and to be successful. What we’re trying to do is create a climate where all kids will feel safe and that’s academically challenging for students and staff. We want to use this to help students build up positive behaviors that will then help them become successful in classes at school and for the rest of their lives.”

“We are glad to work with the ESD on this because our district application was not funded,” said Robert Eckert, Wahluke School District superintendent.