Visionary Goal
Students will feel supported from the moment they begin their educational journey at CPS, reducing the need for critical interventions later in their lives.
Why It Matters
As we emerge from the pandemic, students continue to report feeling less connected to their school communities, raising concern about students’ overall well-being. Schools must address these needs to ensure students are poised to advance in school and their daily lives. We must approach student learning by considering the whole child’s physical health, mental health, safety, social and emotional needs, and academic needs. It is critical to focus on students’ strengths while simultaneously supporting their needs. It is also important for students, families, staff, and communities to play an active role in their wellness.
Strategies
- Empower school-based Behavioral Health Teams to collaboratively approach student behavioral health referrals, assess student needs, assign and monitor progress on interventions, and leverage community partners to support the individualized needs of students through small group interventions or mentoring programs during the school day.
- Ensure schools have Whole School Safety plans that incorporate restorative justice practices and connect staff, students, families, and communities to social-emotional learning and mental health resources that address trauma and promote healing.
- Provide students at every school and grade level with opportunities to participate in a variety of high-interest and responsive enrichment activities outside of the school day, including elementary and high school sporting activities based on student interest.
- Engage families and community partners in developing safe and welcoming physical environments in schools. Provide schools with the resources needed to ensure they are spaces where students and staff feel safe, affirmed, and valued.
- Intentionally and proactively engage families and students who are most likely to become disconnected from their learning community. Increase connection of highest priority students with caring adults or other interventions to reduce high absenteeism.
- Foster health literacy and focus on the physical health of students and families by connecting them to health resources (i.e., providers and health insurance), investing in school nurses and physical education teachers, and enabling students and families to find, understand, and use information needed to make informed health-related decisions.
Five-Year Goals
- 100% of elementary schools and high schools will have a robust Behavioral Health Team.
- 100% of schools will have Whole School Safety Committees and will implement Whole School Safety Plans.
- Increase out-of-school time participation from 42% to 50% of students enrolled in at least one program during the school year, prioritizing students furthest from opportunity.
- Increase the number of schools rated as strong or very strong on the Supportive Environment Essential from the 5Essentials survey from 17% to at least 25%.
- Decrease the chronic absence rate by 15%.