Posted October 24, 2024
School attendance is crucial for academic achievement, social development, personal growth, and future opportunities. Attendance also helps identify when students and their families need additional support to meet their basic needs.
Recognizing the importance of attendance, the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) and its partner elementary school districts applied for and received a (LCSSP) consortium grant. The grant enabled them to create an innovative program within SMUHSD’s Mental Health and Wellness and Student Services teams.
“Young people don’t come to school for all kinds of reasons and often need some kind of support to get them to class,” explained April Torres, Director of Mental Health Programs at SMUHSD. “We wanted to work with our partner middle and elementary schools to adopt a restorative approach, not a punitive one, by dedicating a team of social workers to support students with poor attendance."
Through the grant, SMUHSD’s team of social workers developed and streamlined a Student Attendance Review Team (SART) process for each campus. These teams bring together school staff with a student and their family to diagnose and resolve persistent attendance or behavior problems. By collaborating across elementary and high school districts, the teams can provide comprehensive support to multiple students within one family that is experiencing challenges.
"We're not just waiting for students to arrive at our district," added April. "We're reaching out earlier to identify and support them at the middle school level.
The team also created resources for parents and caregivers such as Parent Connect, a six-week program that provides families with valuable psychoeducation and support in community with other families in both English and Spanish respectively. The SMUHSD social workers also facilitate a Parent Connect Group at our partner schools within the consortium, meeting families where they are
"Many families express a desire for this kind of support earlier on," April noted. "We work with our partner schools to involve their counselors and/or therapists in the parent groups to support the ongoing work.”
These efforts have led to a significant increase in attendance at SMUHSD, prompting the district to extend its focus to rising ninth graders. The positive impact on academic achievement and mental health is evident, as more students are attending classes and accessing necessary community resources.
The innovative process has earned SMUHSD a 2023 Kent Award from the San Mateo County School Boards Association. The district aims to continue this work beyond the grant's end through California's new multi-payer fee schedule.
The innovative process has earned SMUHSD a 2023 Kent Award from the . The district aims to continue this work beyond the grant's end through .
This work aligns well with the United for Youth: Vision 2030, a blueprint to support youth behavioral health across San Mateo County. By bridging the transition from middle to high school, using SART to identify students in need of behavioral health services, and improving coordination among school districts, SMUHSD's Mental Health and Wellness team is creating safe and supportive school environments.
"The collaboration with our partner schools has strengthened our relationships, improved communication, and enabled us to provide more comprehensive support to families," said April.