Projects, Mental Health, and Grant Discussed during GJCS School Board Meeting

By: Drew Hasselbring, News Reporter

Jasper- Dubois County’s students have a lot to look forward to as last night, the school board for Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools met at Jasper High School in the Community Room to discuss a number of high priority agenda items affecting local students. 

The board voted to open bidding on a number of building and maintenance projects that need to be completed at both Jasper Middle and Jasper High School. Tina Fawks shared information about the SCALE program, which focuses on high tech learning and microelectronics. In addition, the board petitioned for approval of the bus route bid specifications and secured permission to advertise for those bids as well. In other business, the County-wide calendars for 2024 and 2025 as well as 2025 and 2026 were approved, as was the office space agreement with the DSP Cooperative. The Indiana Teacher Appreciation Grant distribution was approved, and a more comprehensive plan was put in place to include additional administration. 

And in what the board called their Wildcat Spotlight, they focused on social workers in our schools. The handful of district social workers in attendance illuminated a number of issues that students are dealing with in Jasper and Dubois County schools. They highlighted the need for better student mental health services - particularly in our fast-paced modern world, post-Covid - as well as the importance of parents being involved in their student’s life. Board member Dr. Tracy Lorey reiterated the board’s desire to help build strong and well-rounded students.

Lorey said, “Obviously our goal is to try to support the needs of the whole child, and that’s just academic, social/emotional, and all the needs that a child would have. Our social workers are an integral part in supporting the needs of our students proactively, in terms of helping them to identify what their needs are in understanding their emotions and how to cope, and have grit, and persevere in their educational process, as well as reactively when a student needs additional supports because maybe they’re struggling with anxiety or stress or depression. And so, they are vital in helping to keep a student regulated so that they are able to find success in their learning environment.”