Safety and Student Wellness Ad Hoc Committee
About the Ad Hoc Committee
UPDATE: The Ad Hoc committee concluded its work in February 2023, sharing the committee's final recommendations at the March 13, 2023 Board of Education Operations Work Group Meeting. The Board of Education voted to officially receive the committee's recommendations at the March Regular meeting, held on March 22, 2023.
The Board will continue to take up the recommendations during the budget process which concludes in June with a preliminary budget. This item will be part of the May 2023 Operations Work Group agenda as a separate discussion item. These recommendations will also be part of the Regular meeting agenda as the budget process progresses through the spring. Staff will be providing more specific information about the current status related to some of the recommendations, any practices that can be incorporated without cost, and will provide some cost estimates on those items that may require resources in terms of staffing and/or financial commitments. The Board will also be asked to consider the proposed Superintendent's Advisory Panel structure and reporting mechanisms.
The Board of Education voted to establish an Ad Hoc committee relative to Safety and Student Wellness on March 14, 2022. The committee was composed of 13 people recommended by the Board of Education. Board member Maia Pearson and student Lavenia Vulpal served as co-chairs for the 2022-2023 school year.
With the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued gaps in community mental health and wellness services, the committee aimed to collaborate with youth, families, school partners, district staff, and community leaders to address root causes of student disengagement and behavior.
Mission/Charge of the Committee
The mission of the committee is to create and implement a vision of Safety & Student Wellness through community engagement and action. This work will include making recommendations to the Board of Education around strategies and creating a system of accountability among partners and stakeholders.
Guiding Questions:
- What is our vision for student safety and wellness?
- What would you like MMSD to do differently or more?
- What are you committed to doing to support our vision?
Membership and Meeting Frequency
Four stakeholder groups will allow the core group of voting members to engage with stakeholders in order to keep them informed of the work, and provide opportunities for feedback.
At the start, the committee plans to meet every other week. They may reduce that cadence to once per month, as the committee sees fit. At this time, they anticipate meeting for 18 months.