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Supporting Student Success

Shaping our schools' future with word bubbles

Takeaways on Supporting Student Success:
Ensuring students have available wraparound services and a safe learning environment were key topics. Staff commented on the need for increased communication between grade levels and schools for tracking students and additional support for staff.

Ben Loller speaks at graduation




The Conversations

What we asked about Supporting Student Success
  • In what ways can Kent County Public Schools build on its mental health services?
  • What changes or enhancements would you like to see that could create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all students?
  • What ideas or programs would you suggest to enhance safety, inclusion and positive mental health practices in our school?
  • What improvements or additions to our school facilities do you believe are necessary to support student learning and well-being?
  • You’ve talked about a lot of other subjects related to education at our tables tonight, how can some of the issues you’ve discussed be addressed through student supports?

Stakeholders were provided with the following information
School-Based Support
KCPS has psychologists, social workers, school counselors and others to help students beyond daily instruction. Teachers and staff also receive training to better recognize students’ emotional and mental health needs to better ensure their success.

School Safety
Each of our buildings has secured doors and security vestibules. All staff members are trained in critical incident response and participate in regular safety drills. 

Aligned goals in the Strategic Plan
Our 2020-25 Strategic Plan states: Kent County Public Schools will create a safe, inclusive culture that meets the social and emotional needs of all students. We are committed to providing equitable access to high quality instruction and culturally responsive educational support programs.

Something to think about ...
Social Emotional Learning is how we develop our own self and social awareness, interpersonal relationship skills and decision-making abilities.

Something to keep in mind ...
To be successful in school, a student needs to be in the mental and emotional space to learn.




Stakeholder Sentiments

Body-shaped word cloud. See comments below.

Leading Discussion Topics
  • Community education on mental health and wraparound services
  • Student discipline issues: bullying, fighting, restorative practices and "justice," students should be showing teachers respect
  • Consistent training for staff
  • More nutritious school meals with larger portions for older students
  • Ensure reporting forms are digitized and easy to access
  • Maintaining and adding mentoring programs
  • Building more student engagement with leadership programs at the middle and high schools
  • Good partnership with Choptank Community Health System
  • Smaller class sizes
  • No cell phones, including on school buses
  • More training to help neurodivergent students
  • Peer mentoring
  • Extracurricular programming for all students

Questions to Answer
  • School safety: hardening buildings versus raising awareness and education
  • Can we move Challenge Day to the beginning of the year and build out the follow-up programming?
  • Can we offer more after-school support by having counselors and administrators training coaches and club leaders?

New/Interesting Ideas
  • Create a more robust portal on our website for services
  • Create a flowchart for points of contact
  • Free driver's education scholarships
  • Teachers having phones in classrooms
  • Uniforms
  • Portable metal detectors at the middle and high schools
  • Therapy animal availability
  • Male/female social workers and school counselors — allowing students to choose who they are most comfortable working with
  • Mental health days for students and staff: one per quarter
  • Coordinator for student supports
  • Resource officers in all schools
  • Updated doors that allow remote lockdown of areas
  • More cohesive countywide collaboration with all buildings regarding important weeks, such as bullying prevention, suicide, mental health/health spirit weeks
  • Clear backpacks for school safety




From Our Staff

Professional Development Day Question
What ideas or programs would you suggest to enhance safety, inclusion and positive mental health practices in our school?

Answers Included
  • Additional adult support in classrooms
  • No-touch teacher days: one per quarter
  • Retain staff mental health clinician
  • Needs-based student hours: More time for one-on-one support for those students that need it
  • More ability-based student groupings
  • In an effort to create inclusive opportunities we sometimes create unsafe environments for everyone
  • Mental health curriculum including yoga, mindfulness
  • Allow 12-month staff to work from home on PD days to help with stress
  • Better documentation tracking for student behavior issues across grades and schools
  • Add a School Security Officer
  • Establish Peace Teams
  • Grade level pods (printers, lounge area, pull groups per grade level)
  • Bus aides on all buses
  • More opportunities for socialization: Primary grades need more time for socialization skills





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