KENT, Conn.—Region 1 Superintendent of Schools Brady-Shanley asked the Board of Education at its Wednesday, May 14, meeting to consider financial support for the continued employment of part-time social workers/counselors in the region.
She said that seven social workers have been employed in Region 1 through a three-year federal grant received through a partnership with EdAdvance.
EdAdvance has been notified that the grant “no longer aligns with the mission of [federal] Department of Education” and that the monies will not be available next year.
“This is very much a political situation,” she said.
The grant ends Dec. 31 and Brady-Shanley asked the board to consider appropriating $18,000 to $20,000 to continue the program, which would be its portion of a part-time counselor shared with another school district, through the end of the year.
EdAdvance is “submitting a request for reconsideration, exploring alternative funding sources, and assessing whether they can support the position internally,” Brady-Shanley said.
“We know how much our students need in terms of mental health services,” she told the Kent board.
