Previously published on December 2, 2021
The Sioux City Community School District is partnering with multiple outside organizations to provide relief for learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the partner organizations include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Urban Native Center, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City and Family Wellness Associates.
Associate superintendent Kim Buryanek said the District is excited to strengthen partnerships with organizations throughout the community.
Each organization had to submit a proposal outlining the ways they could provide assistance in a variety of areas including: after-school tutoring, summer school, academic intervention, check in/check out homework help, social academic instructional groups, home visits, and parenting classes.
A series of memorandums of understanding between the organizations and the district were approved during the Nov. 22 school board meeting.
The programs are part of the district’s effort to combat learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a way to utilize the Elementary and Secondary Education Relief Funding. The district has set aside $15.6 million across four years for learning loss programs.
Buryanek said the district will provide the materials, instructions and curriculum for the organizations to use.
Most services will cost the district $36 an hour, with parenting classes to cost $3,300 per class completed. The mental health services will be paid based on the services through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund for an unspecified amount.
The following organizations were approved:
– Beyond the Bell for before and after school tutoring, check in/check out, interventionists and summer school tutoring;
– Big Brothers Big Sisters for home visit services;
– Boost for summer school, academic intervention, check in/check out and home visits;
– Boys and Girls Home and Family Services, Inc. for parenting classes;
– Boys Town Iowa for parenting classes;
– Crittenton Center for after-school tutoring, summer school, social academic instructional groups, home visits and parenting classes;
– Family Access Center for social academic instructional groups and home visits;
– First Tee Siouxland for after-school tutoring, check in/check out and summer school;
– Sanford Center for summer school, academic intervention, check in/check out and social academic instructional groups;
– Siouxland Youth for Christ for check in/check out and social academic instructional groups and;
– Urban Native Center for after-school tutoring, summer school, academic intervention, check in/check out, home visits and parenting classes.
The following organizations will be provided through mental health support GEER II funding.
– Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City for licensed clinicians to provide therapy, consultation and crisis support;
– Family Access Center for licensed clinicians to provide therapy, consultation and crisis support;
– Family Wellness Associates for licensed clinicians to provide therapy, consultation and crisis support and;
– The Lodge Counseling and Consulting Services for licensed clinicians to provide therapy, consultation and crisis support.
Read the whole story from Sioux City Journal’s Caitlin Yamada here.