At tonight’s Kenosha Unified School District’s (KUSD’s) Curriculum/Program standing committee meeting, it was announced that, beginning this fall, the Kenosha Community Health Center and the KUSD are collaborating to bring school-based health centers to three elementary schools.  The pilot program is for the following three schools:

• Brass Community School, 6400 – 15th Avenue;
• Cesar E. Chavez Learning Station (Head Start Program), 6300 – 27th Avenue; and
• Curtis Strange Elementary School, 5414 – 49th Avenue.

The principals at the respective schools are Scott Kennow, Kim Kurklis (Interim Principal), and Jonathan Bar-Din, all of whom were present at tonight’s meeting.  They have been doing an awesome job of promoting and building awareness of the health centers at their open houses.

In a letter to parents that was included in the packet of information for tonight’s meeting, it stated that a nurse practitioner would be on site at pre-determined times during the school day.  The letter was jointly signed by Jack Waters, executive director of the Kenosha Community Health Center, and Dr. Michele Hancock, superintendent of schools for KUSD.  Parents can check their child’s school office for exact days and times.

Hancock assured everyone that there is no cost to the school district besides providing the school sites.  “The schools chosen were based on need and availability, and the commitment, acceptance, and willingness of the school principals to be involved.”  Sue Valeri, director of special education, said that there may be other schools added once they determine the success of these three pilot school centers.  Even now, there are other school principals clamoring to also be included as future expansion plans are made.

The following opportunities for health care at these three schools will include:

Preventative Care Opportunities

• Well-child health checks
• Immunizations
• Seal-A-Smile dental sealant program
• Sports physicals
• Health education with child and parent

Acute Health Care Opportunities

• Diagnosis and treatment
• Referrals, as needed
• Follow-up visits, as needed
• Health education with child and parent

Chronic Health Opportunities

• Monitor and treat medical needs, as needed, based on condition
• Health education with child and parent

In order for parents to have their child/children participate in these health care opportunities, they were instructed to fill out the forms that were included with the letter and return them to the child’s school office.

Tamarra Coleman, school board member, congratulated them on the collaboration and said that it was both excellent and awesome.

Hancock mentioned a recent conference she attended of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), at which she discussed this concept with six other school principals.  It was very well received, and it will be shared in an upcoming article in a school-based health care magazine.

She explained to the group how this all came about.  “I was present at a meeting at the museum of health care officials.  Nurses were discussing their concerns, and the fact that they’d like to have wrap-around services in schools.  After the meeting, Waters approached me and said that we could make this happen.”

Both the county and KUSD look forward to their new venture in school-based health and to serving the school community.  Working together, they can help keep children healthy, in school, and ready to learn.

Her closing remarks were, “I’m happy that Kenoshans recognize this need and pay attention to it.  Healthy children are kids who can learn better.”

_______________

Reports from other KUSD standing committee meetings that were also held tonight:

Personnel/Policy Committee Meeting

Definitions of “just cause,” “cause vs. just cause,” and “at-will” were reviewed as they related to the Transition Handbook for service employees.  On June 12, the committee approved the proposed handbook; on June 26, the board of education approved it, with the exception of changing employment from “just cause” to “at-will.”  This committee met on July 10 and, at that tie, had requested that the definitions be provided. To read the definitions for yourself, click here:  Agenda for Standing Committee Meetings, page 4.

At tonight’s meeting, Sheronda Glass, executive director of business services, was asked to provide links explaining the legal and illegal reasons for terminating an employee.

Joint Personnel/Policy & Audit/Budget/Finance Committee Meeting

Tina Schmitz, chief financial officer, presented proposed changes to several policies/rules dealing with the budget.  The changes related to personnel title updates, and timing.  The proposal also included eliminating the detail annual operating budget calendar in its entirety.  All of the policies/rules were outdated, and included dates which needed to be more flexible, as occasionally the state timing changes from year to year.  Schmitz said that none of the steps of the budget process were changing.  “They can’t be changed,” she said.  The steps will remain in the annual budget book and will be taken out of the policy/rule manual.

Audit/Budget/Finance Committee Meeting

Schmitz presented the most updated financial statements.  “Expenses are in line with forecasted expenditures.  We still have grants receivable to book.  We are working hard to get in all the year-end entries.  Auditors were here in June for a week, and they will be coming in next week for four days to do the 2012 audit,” she said.  The numbers will then be finalized in October.

Board member Bob Nuzzo questioned Schmitz on the $8 million that will have to be taken out of reserves at the end of the year.  Schmitz said that that number would be reduced to more like $5 million.  She forecasted that the fund balance would be at least $11 million at year end, because she was able to identify $3 million worth of savings and budget reductions.  “This is good news,” said Nuzzo, and Schmitz agreed.