Community leaders gathered at Warren County ESC on October 17^th to continue learning about mental health issues and solutions.  Dr. Kathie MacNeil and Dr. George Sehi organized a “Morning Mental Health Moment” that featured a panel discussion from different perspectives.  The panelists included Lebanon City Manager Scott Brunka, Lebanon City Police Chief Jeff Mitchell, Lebanon City Schools Superintendent, Todd Yohey and State Representative Scott Lipps.  We were very fortunate to have the expertise and involvement of Dr. Paul Keck, M.D., CEO Lindner Center of HOPE.  Dr. Keck and The Linder Center are widely recognized for their expertise and leadership in the mental health arena.

State Senator Steve Wilson greeted the audience and extended his support for the community’s efforts to reduce the stigma of mental health.  Senator Wilson commended the panelists for their important work and offered his assistance with the General Assembly.

Warren County ESC Superintendent Tom Isaacs noted that Warren County school districts have been working collaboratively for years to address the serious issues children bring to school.  Partnerships between school districts, the County Commissioners, Juvenile Court, DD, MHRB, Children’s Services, and FCFC have been ongoing for many years, resulting in social workers, mental health therapists, and extensive opportunities for professional development.

Students from the Laura Farrell building participated in water day, which was a PBIS acknowledgement day recognizing their hard work in learning to be responsible, ready to learn, respectful, mindful, and safe.  Mrs. M’s class worked as a team to fill up their water bucket. They learned how communication is important when they are unable to see what is happening behind them.

The students from the John Lazares Alternative School are happy to be back at the Countryside YMCA! Through this exciting partnership, students can earn time at the YMCA for good behavior and attendance. Our students enjoyed playing basketball, air hockey, table tennis, and pool. They also walked a mile on the track and some students lifted weights. Thank to Chris Johnson and the staff at the Countryside YMCA for this wonderful partnership.

Mary Beth Garner, Attendance Officer for the WCESC was invited to participate in Re-Do Day with the girls at Waynesville Middle School in grades 6 and 7. Re-Do Day is a program for kids in high school, junior high and elementary school designed to help them look beyond stereotypes, build respect, and put an end to bullying.
Mary Beth noted, “It was a life changing experience and an honor to be asked to be an Adult Leader. We are raising some amazing young people in our community who are learning to break the cycle and be the change!”

Elementary students at the Warren County Learning Center learned about landforms in Social Studies class. They were able to identify 22 landforms ranging from large-scale features such as plains, plateaus, and mountains to minor features such as hills, valleys and beaches. After learning about land forms, the students chose which land form they wanted to make. It was a fun learning experience for all.

Elementary students at the Warren County Learning Center learned what it means to be appreciative by making cards for Custodian Day. They gave Tony Moeller a gift card and made thank you cards to show him how much they appreciate him keeping the school clean and safe.

Students at Warren County Learning Center/Laura Farrell Campus enjoyed playing in the sprinkler and other games to celebrate their hard work for the first quarter of the school year

Students at Warren County Learning Center/Laura Farrell Campus had a great time Tuesday exploring engineering with the Cincinnati Museum Center. The program was called “Superheroes of STEMville” for junior high students. It was fun while being a very beneficial learning experience as students were able to make boats out of aluminum foil and foam rockets. The students and staff had a great time and thank the museum for their time and efforts.

On October 9, 2019, the students and staff at the John Lazares Alternative School welcomed Amy Fehrenbach, Tobacco Prevention Educator with the Warren County Health District. Amy's work is especially focused on the use of e-cigarette / Juul use among youths. Ms. Fehrenbach debunked many popular myths about the safety of e-cigarettes and led a lively discussion about ways the tobacco industry manipulates today's youth to use their products. She provided our students with resources to help themselves, and even their friends to stop the use of these devices.

Warren County school leaders and law enforcement were pleased to welcome approximately 800 school district and law enforcement leaders to learn the latest research on school safety.  The United States Secret Service and Homeland Security presented their latest report entitled, “Enhancing School Safety Using A Threat Assessment Model.”  School district and law enforcement leaders in Warren County have worked together for many years to share ideas, improve communication, and build partnerships across agencies to improve school safety.  While there have been some very well-publicized violent acts in public schools, the truth is that American public schools remain incredibly safe and acts of violence in public schools are actually few in number.  In Warren County school districts have invested heavily in school safety.  School district leaders are focused on supporting positive school climate for all students.

Mike Bidwell (WCESC Director of Social Emotional Learning) and Kara Dirksing (WCESC Director of Special Education) took part in the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital 2019 Pediatric Mental Health Symposium at Great Wolf Lodge today.  WCESC joined other stakeholders in the area of mental health at this event, to help raise awareness about current trends and programming to support individuals with social emotional needs.