The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful throughout America – especially on students.
The University City School District is one of three area districts to receive a $95,000 grant from the St. Louis Children’s Service Fund Board to support student mental health and wellness through the 2021-22 school year.
“We are so very grateful to the Children’s Service Fund for recognizing the double pandemic of COVID-19 and racism and its profound impact on so many of our students,” said Superintendent Sharonica Hardin-Bartley.
“We feel strong and confident in our ability to deliver vital mental health services and wellness programs to our students and their families so they can succeed in school and life despite the many profound obstacles put in their path this past year.”
She said the grant would be utilized through the district’s Learning Reimagined program, which has “created an established framework to provide resources for student wellness and joy.”
The resources will go to “high-impact, equitable programming free of racial bias that directly supports the District’s students,” said Hardin-Bartley.
Partnering with the district are Alive and Well Communities, Khaos Inc., and The Collective STL.
This is the district’s first funding through the Children’s Service Fund, and it is one of 17 agencies/groups to receive the emergency funding from a pool of $1.4 million. Parkway and Valley Park are the other respective school districts to receive similar grants.
“We were thoroughly impressed with the innovative programming of these organizations and are proud to help fund their efforts to address the stress and trauma caused by the pandemic,” said Dr. Randall Sterkel, Children’s Service Fund board chairman.