24 August 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita school district has hundreds of organizations they partner with across the community to provide students with what they need. A few examples include the Assistance League providing school uniforms and Giving the Basics providing hygiene items to the school nurse.
“For anybody who is struggling with how do I make sure my kid has what they need for the beginning of school, reach out to your school counselor,” Suzy Finn, USD 259 marketing and strategic partnership supervisor, said. “Every school has a counselor and a social worker whether they’re there part-time or full-time, there is support at those schools, and they are very well aware of all those community partnerships.”
They also provide help for homework, mental health, and more. Finn says in a district so big, there are families with significant needs.
The Pando Initiative serves over 12,000 students in four districts across Sedgwick County, including Derby, Wichita, Haysville and Maize.
“We want kids just to feel like they can come to school and not worry about other things and focus on learning and being there,” Kenya McConico, Pando Initiative program director, said.
They help alleviate barriers that may cause kids to struggle in school. They provide everything from academic help to hygiene items to social-emotional needs.
“Reach out to our student support advocates,” McConico said. “Things that we provide can remain confidential. We want to make sure that our students and our parents understand that we are there as a support. We do not judge them. We want to make sure that everyone in the school building, including their families, feel good about themselves.”
Their goal is to make sure kids have what they need to feel comfortable in school so they attend every day.
“If we can get them into that routine of coming to school on a regular basis so that they’re comfortable at school, the ultimate goal is that they continue that throughout their academic career, and then they graduate, and then those are skills that they can take with them,” McConico said.
At Dodge City Public Schools, they also work closely with dozens of community organizations to provide resources to migrant families and other students in need, such as school supplies, information, uniforms and hygiene items. They also provide mental health services to students at the high school. USD 443 also partners with law enforcement to give families safety information, such as vaping awareness and digital citizenship.
At Salina Public Schools, they have partnered with the county to sponsor a back-to-school fair to get school supplies for students. Other businesses hosted drives collecting hygiene items, socks, shoes and more for students.
“At Salina Public Schools, students and families come first,” Jody Craddock-Iselin, director of support services at Salina Public Schools, said. “We want to work with our families to help eliminate any barriers that may stand in the way of students attending school.”
The district also partners with the Kansas State Department of Education and the Mental Health Intervention Team program to connect students to mental health services.
“This program helps to eliminate some of the barriers families may experience when seeking mental health services,” Craddock-Iselin, said. “Plus, it can help to provide consistency for students with recurring sessions. Supporting students goes hand in hand with helping families, you can’t do one without the other. Salina Public Schools offers a variety of opportunities for our families to engage in activities and learning opportunities throughout the year.”