Staffing aimed at boosting student support

Consolidated High School District 230 is making a concerted effort to increase both academic and social-emotional support for all of its students at Carl Sandburg, Amos Alonzo, and Victor J. Andrew high schools through modifications to staffing plans for the 2024-25 school year.

One guidance counselor will be added at Sandburg and Andrew, and Stagg will maintain its current number of counselors as they added a counselor just last year. Increasing the number of overall counselors across the district will allow for more individualized and small-group sessions with students. In addition, counselors will be able to better support the increased number of academic accommodations for students. Likewise, increasing part-time social workers to full-time at each of the three schools will allow the district to prioritize mental health, social-emotional learning, and support services amid the ongoing impact of the post-pandemic, worldwide violence, and everyday trauma.

The PALS (Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies) Program for those who struggle in a regular classroom setting will also receive additional support, as well as a slight increase in speech and language support based on required Individualized Education Plans. The Ultima Program will be expanded to decrease outside placements while simultaneously improving programs for students with developmental disabilities. This is not only cost effective, but better for kids which is a true win-win.

Additionally, the Daytime Alternative Education program, currently housed at Andrew High School will be revised. The program will be replicated at each campus, allowing students to remain at their home school and providing flexibility for some students to continue in elective courses or co-curricular programs, where appropriate. The programs will add intervention specialists to focus on non-academic skill-building for students.

Finally, students who need specialized instruction outside of the traditional setting will stay on campus, allowing for more flexibility in serving students in their precise needs, with the ultimate goal of returning them to their regular school setting.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Nolting says, “With the increase of social-emotional learning concerns post-pandemic, these new and reallocated supports will meet a variety of needs of all students. As we begin to reconstruct Pupil Personnel Services supports for students who may struggle with the traditional school setting, these programmatic adjustments and changes will increase academic achievement, improve student attendance, reduce discipline, and allow access to supports in a more timely manner.”

Dr. Nolting added, “I appreciate the work of the teacher, support staff, and leadership teams in these efforts and thank the School Board for supporting change that is both focused on school improvement and cognizant of taxpayer dollars and these changes realize a net zero increase in overall staffing costs.”