Battle Ground Public Schools

10 | BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS This year, Battle Ground Public Schools superintendent Mark Hottowe emphasized the importance of social and emotional learning at our schools. The district expanded its strong foundation of supporting student well-being through school nurses, counselors, psychologists and positive behavioral programs by prioritizing initiatives that focus on the health and wellness of students. Hottowe leads with the knowledge that students need a safe, supportive environment before they can be attentive to learning. A large part of the focus is the district's receipt of Project AWARE, a $2.5 million federal grant for the improvement of school climate and increased access to youth mental health services. To help accomplish these goals, the district hired Sandy Mathewson as the director of social emotional learning. Mathewson's position is funded in part by the Project AWARE grant to guide schools in accomplishing several goals over the next five years. First, the district is working to improve school climate and safety. Battle Ground has implemented a district-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program and installed software for data collection so that staff can make informed decisions around student behaviors. Second, Battle Ground is working to increase mental health services to students. The district hired five prevention/intervention specialists this year to work in the middle and high schools supporting the implementation of additional mental health and drug prevention services for students. Third, Battle Ground is partnering with the Educational Service District (ESD) 112 on an effort to build and expand the capacity to increase mental health services in the community. This includes the training of staff, parents and community members in Youth Mental Health First Aid, a course that teaches people the skills to respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use. The effort also is examining how to connect families with community- based mental health services by bringing those providers into schools so that a student's whole family is supported. And finally, the district is collaborating with community organizations such as Connect BG, Rock Solid Teen Community Center, the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce and Battle Ground Education Foundation and their affiliated programs to support the overall health and wellness of students and families and promote a positive school and community culture. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT BATTLE GROUND PUTS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ON PAR WITH ACADEMICS

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