Wicomico Recovery Plan 2020 -2021

33 FIT (Families in Transition) STUDENTS School-based homeless liaisons, pupil personnel workers (PPWs), school social workers, food services, and several community agencies will continue to work collaboratively to provide a host of services and resources to Families in Transition during the 2020-2021 school year. We will: • Ensure that families and students are informed of their right to stay enrolled in their school of origin. • Establish and maintain ongoing communication with families as the probability of housing loss increases due to economic conditions. • Engage community agencies and faith-based partners as a resource/support for students and families. • Provide training for staff regarding trauma, students’ reaction to stress, and other potential mental health issues among families experiencing homelessness. • Provide opportunities for online supplemental math and reading programs to address achievement disparities. • Provide live online tutoring opportunities as an additional resource for FIT students. • Make plans to bring in small groups of FIT students in late September/early October for in-person learning opportunities. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND WELLNESS Wicomico County Schools continues to focus on meeting the academic, social, emotional and behavioral health and well-being of all students while recognizing that some students will have more significant mental health concerns that require specialized support. We anticipate that the number of students requiring such services in the coming months is likely to be even greater than in the past, and we are committed to providing the strongest possible support for our students. Key activities to foster student mental health will include: professional development for teachers, administrators, and staff to identify and refer students in need of mental health services; counseling and support services provided by school mental health providers using HIPAA protected virtual ( i.e. doxy.me, etc.) when school is virtual; virtual and in-person classroom visits as special populations of students return to schools in small groups in order to observe and support students when needed and as delineated in IEPs and 504 Accommodation Plans; tiered supports for students exhibiting indicators of isolation, anxiety, disengagement (such as attendance, behavioral, and/or academic challenges). Supports will also be provided to students and families through close partnership with city agencies and community-based organizations, including the following key activities and supports at the school level: • Intensify efforts to identify, connect with, and provide coordinated supports to students and families experiencing homelessness, transition, food insecurity and medical assistance. • Enhanced focus on unaccompanied youth, newly homeless families, and families experiencing language barriers • Increased outreach to and individualized support to families withmedically fragile students, newcomers to the area, pregnant and parenting teens, and other students who are potentially vulnerable or marginalized