SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS $81,000 GRANT

Beth Emmendorfer, director of special services in the Jackson School District, knows the grant of $81,000 from Missouri School-Age Children's Health Services will help the district assist both the physical and mental health needs of at-risk students.

After-school tutoring, implementing parent and community volunteer groups during the day to assist students, and providing the resource link to meet the medical and dental needs of students in order to stay healthy, are just some of the new services available due to this grant.

The grant money, will be reported on every few months and, if goals are met, it will be renewed. It is a real accomplishment to receive the grant, which had been applied for two years ago.

The grant enabled the district to hire two new nurses and a social worker. The two additional nurses will allow all of the larger school buildings to have a full-time nurse in them. Lindsey Graham will fill the position as nurse at North Elementary in Fruitland. Debra Sanders will fill the position as nurse at the Primary Annex and Gordonville Attendance Center. Kristin Bushman is to be the first social worker in the district.

Bushman will interact between the home and the school, to provide whatever it takes to eliminate high truancy or absence rates.

We have taken bits and pieces from programs that work in other districts and plan to use that, along with new information, to tailor the needs of the district.

"It's exciting and brand new," said Emmendorfer. "Through focusing on preventative measures and addressing emotional as well as physical issues faced by children, this program's long range goal is to graduate responsible, productive citizens."