Investments in Student Well-being

Toward the end of the 2021-22 school year, the Department of Health and OSPI updated their guidance on masking in K-12 settings from required, to optional. For both students and staff who desire to wear masks at school, we continue to ensure that each student or staff member has access to 1 mask per day available at their school site.

Current inventory includes K-95 Masks (in adult sizes), as well as specialty masks for music classes, for individuals with disabilities, and to provide special services (Ex. communicator masks for early literacy instruction). Beyond masks, PPE includes items like face shields, gowns, booties, and puppy pads (for music classes). As we continue to utilize the current inventory of masks and other PPE, and will invest additional resources if needed.

• Investment Period: 2020-21 SY; 2022-23 SY 
• Accessing this Resource: Schools should follow the process for each site to procure PPE.

• 2021-22 Impact Data, Personal Protective Equipment: Collectively, the Maintenance & Operations team met their goal to ensure that 100% of students and staff had equitable and consistent access to PPE, cleaning equipment and air purifiers/filters, despite supply chain shortages. The district procured 1.8 million ounces of sanitizer; 662,065 masks; over 28,000 containers of sanitizing wipes; and 1.2 million pairs of gloves. 

As we begin recovery efforts in 2022-23, we are utilizing ESSER funds to provide scholarships and salaries for annual summer camps rescheduled to the summer/fall due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as provide an live-stream viewing option for athletic events to our students, families and communities. The total anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is roughly $90,000. 

• Investment Period: 2020-21 SY;  2022-23 SY
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations. 
• Impact Vignette, Spring 2022: During the first year of the pandemic, athletic programming was put on hold. Students were not able to participate in sports, causing many to feel even more disconnected from school. Thanks to federal relief funding, we brought back in-person athletic programming and ESSER paid for COVID testing for athletes and coaches three times a week. See the video below to learn more about how Covid Relief Funding is supporting our student athletes. 

The Covid-19 Pandemic has interrupted supply chains across the United States. This has resulted in nutrition services needing to procure food from local grocers and other non-standard suppliers, which is inherently an increased cost and impact to the overall budget as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic; both in the increased staff time for shopping and the general cost per item purchased. As we lead into the 2022-23 School Year, supply chain issues continue to surface. The total anticipated investment to offset these challenges is approximately $90,000.

• Investment Period: 2022-23 SY 
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations. 

Student Wellness is influenced by the general health and safety of Highline buildings and our district-wide capabilities to uphold the COVID-19 health and safety protocols (which are regularly updated by Washington’s Department of Health). To maintain the health and safety protocols in each school building, primarily related to increased sanitization and physical distancing needs, our maintenance and operations teams plan to invest nearly $11 Million in improved HVAC systems, cleaning supplies and materials, air purifiers and filters, substitute office support and additional custodial hours, and hospital grade sanitation technology in partnership with R-Zero solutions. 

• Investment Period: 2020-21 SY; 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Accessing this Resource: Schools should follow the process for each site to procure additional support with sanitization and/or other operational items to support school safety. 

To reduce disruption to students' education and reduce the spread of Covid in schools, our investment in the Covid Response team, who oversees Covid-Testing efforts at Highline, is a comprehensive strategy that supports our district’s ability to conduct routine response efforts and ensure diagnostic testing is available to all Highline students and staff.

For the 2022-23 School Year, the Department of Health has awarded a substantial grant to the district, which currently covers the testing supplies and salaries of our Covid Health Response team; however, ESSER funds are being used to support some programmatic costs associated with the Care Rooms such as extra service contracts and mileage.

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY 

• Additional FTE & Staff Support: All staff hired to support under Care Room Support are temporary. 

• Accessing this Resource: All schools have access to the Covid Response Team and testing resources. Contact your site’s primary COVID Response team member (this might be the staff who supports isolation room coverage, special projects coordinator, nurse, or testing facilitator/lead that your site most often works with for COVID-Response)/ Jemma Kim. Key links and resources listed below: 
  • Return to Learn – COVID Testing
  • 2022-2023 Health & Safety Guidelines 
• For Evaluations, refer to the COVID-19 Dashboard. 
  • 2021-22 Impact Data, CARE Room Support: Highline received national and state level accolades relating to our Covid-Health Response Team.
    • The CARE team provided over 4,000 hours of CARE Room supervision, freeing up principals and other school leaders to more directly support instruction and other school needs. 
    • Positive Case Data in schools remained slightly below community rates. 90% of case investigations were completed within 24 hours of a positive test result.
    • Over 47,000 at home test kits were distributed, while 11,000 tests were administered across 415 test sites and 22 vaccine clinics. 
• Impact Vignette, Spring 2022:
  • Early in the pandemic, principals and school nurses were overwhelmed with managing COVID safety requirements like contact tracing and notifications about positive cases. We used federal relief funding to hire staff to manage our COVID health response in schools. These staff members are responsible for COVID testing for students, staff and families; contract tracing; safety training; and connecting with families about COVID health protocols. They also help supervise our care rooms, where students with COVID symptoms wait for a ride home. See the video below to learn more about how Covid Relief Funding is supporting Highline’s Covid Health Related Response Efforts.

To support school leaders in meeting the health demands related to COVID, including contact tracing, isolation coverage, safety trainings, and connecting with families around COVID health safety protocols, Highline has committed to providing additional nursing coverage to schools and thus meeting the increased demands of nursing workloads. With this investment, our district will be able to maintain quality nursing care above and beyond the current state allocation for the duration of the pandemic, so that students can minimize lost instruction time by reducing unnecessary quarantines; allowing students to continue to learn in-person. The total anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is roughly $350,000.

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Additional FTE & Staff Support: This investment covers an Assistant Director (temporary) and a nursing contract with Soliant Health for additional, temporary nursing coverage. 
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations. 

• 2021-22 Impact Data, Nursing Coverage: ESSER investments provided support to 4 additional school sites (via an agency nursing contract), which allowed us to serve approximately 2,000 additional students. These additional supports ensured that Health Services maintained full compliance with immunization reporting, hearing and vision screening, at each respective school.

In response to staff feedback and student data regarding an increased desire for basic need services as Highline Returned to Learn during the 2021-22 School Year, the district invested additional ESSER funds to hire 3.0 FTE (school social worker) that will serve the schools that typically operate without a social worker during non-pandemic times. By providing more responsive support to meet the basic needs for students and families and address student mental health issues, students will experience greater academic success and well-being. The anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is roughly $163,000.

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Additional FTE & Staff Support: This initiative adds 3.0 FTE in school social work support to the district
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations, but position supports Highline Virtual Academy, Maritime High School, Sylvester Middle School, Valley View Early Learning, Puget Sound Skill Center, Aviation High School, and Big Picture

Under ESSER, our investment in the Director of COVID Recovery demonstrates a continued commitment to ethical financial stewardship and prioritizes dedicated support that ensures the district has the proper systems in place for project management and data reporting; furthermore, this role collaborates with Business Services and Budget Authorities on budget and compliance needs relating to utilizing federal funds and ensuring investments align with ESSER Allowable use. This position sits in Human Resources but works across all departments at Highline Public Schools and the anticipated investment (TD) for the 2021-22 SY is primarily salaries and benefits.

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Additional FTE & Staff Support: This investment adds a temporary 1.0 FTE to the district
• Understanding primary contacts for COVID-19 Response and ESSER Funds:
  • COVID Related Health Response: Director of Covid Health Response 
  • Other COVID Health and Safety should be directed accordingly:  
    1. Building Principal
    2. Site COVID Captain
    3. Initiative Lead/Contact Points (See Student Wellbeing, Maintenance and Operations/SS&FE)
    4. Health and Safety Form (Frontline) ​​​ 
  • Business Services: All fiscal matters of ESSER sit with Business Services
  • Ongoing Financial and Compliance Needs: All budget and compliance needs are managed by the Executive Assistant of each Budget Authority or other designee
  • Accessing ESSER Funded Initiatives and Funding: Business Services, Project Leads, and the Executive Assistant for each Budget Authority, are the primary contact points for each initiative and budget in coordination with the Director of COVID Recovery
  • Annual ESSER Fund Plans and Strategic Planning Supports: Director of COVID Recovery
  • Monthly and Quarterly Progress Dashboards (ESSER): Director of COVID Recovery

• Camp Waskowitz has been supported with ESSER funds in the following ways:
  • Continuity of Operations (2020-21 SY; 2021-22 SY): During the pandemic, we were unable to rent the facility, but needed to maintain operations at Waskowitz until the camp revenues returned; this included maintaining payroll for current staff, as well as providing additional supplies, equipment, and renovations necessitated by current health and safety standards as students return to learn. 
  • Waskowitz Roof Project (2022-23 SY): As an expansion of our district investments in HVAC repairs and upgrades, Highline has received approval to invest over $700k to repair the roof in Camp Waskowitz buildings, a project with a funding shortfall due to delayed revenues and increased facility costs.

Under ESSER, our investment in the Director of Covid Recovery demonstrates a continued commitment to ethical financial stewardship and prioritizes dedicated support that ensures the district has the proper systems in place for project management and data reporting; furthermore, this role collaborates with Business Services and Budget Authorities on budget and compliance needs relating to utilizing federal funds and ensuring investments align with ESSER Allowable use. This position sits within Human Resources, but works across all departments. The anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is primarily salaries and benefits.

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Additional FTE & Staff Support: This investment adds a temporary 1.0 FTE to the district
• Understanding primary contacts for Covid-19 Response and ESSER Funds:
  • Covid Related Health Response: Director of Covid Health Response 
  • Other Covid Health and Safety should be directed accordingly:  
    • Building Principal 
    • Initiative Lead/Contact Points (as outlined in this plan)
    • Health and Safety Form (Frontline)
• Business Services: All fiscal matters of ESSER sit with Business Services 
• Ongoing Financial and Compliance Needs: All budget and compliance needs are managed by the Executive Assistant of each Budget Authority or other designee
• Accessing ESSER Funded Initiatives and Funding: Business Services, Project Leads, and the Executive Assistant for each Budget Authority, are the primary contact points for each initiative and budget in coordination with the Director of Covid Recovery
• Annual ESSER Fund Plans and Strategic Planning Supports: Director of Covid Recovery
• Monthly and Quarterly Progress Dashboards (ESSER): Director of Covid Recovery

If we roll-up the successful implementation process and infrastructure from the middle school self-screening and intervention process (SBIRT) into two high school teams, teams will begin to develop systematic ways to support the mental health/substance misuse of teens, which increases student success and well-being. By adding a new full-time SBIRT coordinator and using ESSER funds to support a second SBIRT coordinator when our current grant ends, we will continue to support SBIRT screening and intervention to 9th graders in all High Schools and double our current district impact for the 2022-23 School Year. The SBIRT Coordinator will attend regular, student focused team meetings, provide PD based on screener data, develop and implement a classroom curriculum, and integrate with each school community.  The anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY are primarily in salaries and benefits. 

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Additional FTE & Staff Support: This investment adds a second 1.0 SBIRT Interventionist to the district supports an additional 1.0 for the Spring of 2023 only.
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations, but all high schools have access to the resources provided by this position (Evergreen, Tyee, Mount Rainier, and Highline high schools). For more information, contact Amelia Gross or the identified members of each school's screening team. 

Specifically supporting under-insured and uninsured elementary and high school students, Highline has contracted with mental health agencies to provide licensed clinical therapists and teletherapy options that will provide individual students with increased mental health supports in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is roughly $70,000. 

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Contracted Agencies: 
  • Teletherapy Providers: The agency providing teletherapy support is SWYFS. These resources are for High School Students - (Evergreen, Tyee, Mount Rainier, Highline Highschool, and HVA)
  • School Based Mental Health Services: The agency providing school based mental health services is ACRS.

Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations, but individual students in the schools listed above can be referred for these resources. For more information, contact Valerie Allen.

If we provide enhanced FTE for elementary counselors based on enrollment and F/R criteria, students will receive the needed social/emotional support as we return to learn in person. All students will begin to receive High Quality Tier 1 instruction from their school counselor and those who indicate a need for Tier 2-3 will receive that support from either their counselor or other staff members or community partners. The anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is roughly $1.5 Million in salaries and benefits. 

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations; all elementary schools have access to the positions paid out of this resource. 

If we provide centralized support for secondary SEL school-based teams, we will strengthen our overall implementation of consistent SEL strategies with secondary students. We are investing ESSER dollars to add 0.5 FTE to the District Social Emotional Team, creating a full-time position that will allow us to better support Secondary Schools in their SEL strategy implementation, supporting the needs of the whole child as we return to learn in person after the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The anticipated investment (TD) for the 2022-23 SY is in salaries and benefits. 

• Investment Period: 2021-22 SY; 2022-23 SY 
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations; all secondary schools have access to the position paid out of this resource. 

For the 2021-2022 School Year, 30 schools have piloted two SEL screeners. A committee including representatives from schools who used both DESSA and Panorama, using multiple data points including screener user survey results, alignment with CASEL, ability to use the data to inform interventions at Tier 1, 2 and 3 and more. selected Panorama for implementation by all schools in the 2022-23 school year. Throughout the 2022-23 School Year, all schools will be expected to implement Panorama, conduct the screener at least twice, and utilize the data to inform schoolwide, classroom, and small group interventions.  

• Investment Period: 2022-23 SY 
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocations; all schools are expected to utilize SEL screeners

The pandemic has illuminated the need for our system to provide a comprehensive approach to supporting the social, emotional and behavioral needs of our students. The recent state-level adoption of Senate Bill 5030 requires school districts to implement a comprehensive school counseling Framework based on the ASCA model. This type of change will require thoughtful planning and execution in order for implementation to be done with fidelity, efficiency and in a way that is productive, collaborative, and equitably distributed. After exploring multiple local and national organizations, due to the complexity of this work, we have sought consulting services and professional development in anti-racist school counseling through the consulting firm, Hatching Results. This organization contributed to the development of the ASCA Framework and is partnering with OSPI on the implementation of this legislation, a combination of consulting services (with Hatching Results) with professional development and implementation support through a will allow our system to fully realize the promise of the ASCA Framework, actualize comprehensive school counseling, and move from responsive to planned services. Braided with ESSER and Kaiser funding, this initiative pays for approximately 1.5 FTE in a Counseling Implementation Coach and a consulting contract with Hatching Results, for a total investment of over $375,000.                         

Note: This project is receiving support in alignment with the 2021-22 recommendations from CARE

• Investment Period: 2022-23 SY 
• Accessing this Resource: This is a system level support not available for school-based allocation