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Grain Valley R‑V highlights growth in family‑school liaison services, diversion program and Sni Valley Academy outcomes
Summary
District staff told the Board of Education that family‑school liaison caseloads rose from 452 in 2022 to 755 most recently, a diversion program enrolled 28 students and Sni Valley Academy graduation counts have recovered since the pandemic. Officials said they will continue partnerships with mental‑health providers and Bright Futures outreach.
Grain Valley R‑V Director of Student Services Carrie Reich told the Board of Education that the district has expanded student‑support services and is aiming to intervene earlier to prevent students from falling far behind.
Reich said family‑school liaisons (FSLs) now serve substantially more students than two years ago — 452 students in 2022, 648 the following year and 755 most recently — and that the district added a second FSL position. Jennifer Beavers, one of the liaisons, described the team’s work: “We do, of course, work with our McKinney‑Vento students. But we also work with students that are in foster care ... families that we could be looking at from a socioeconomic standpoint.”
Why it matters: Board members asked for specifics because the FSL team handles a wide range of needs — attendance, referrals to school‑based therapy, connecting families to community resources and helping with logistics such as transportation and school paperwork. The board pressed staff on how the FSL caseloads relate to formal McKinney‑Vento homelessness designations and on whether community resources are sufficient to meet demand.
Key program updates
- Diversion services: Reich said the district began a diversion program in 2024–25 in partnership with Burrell Comprehensive Mental Health to serve students with vaping, substance and behavioral incidents; 28 students participated in the first year. Reich said, “This allows their suspension time to roll back.” The board was told Burrell will share pre/post data with the district at the end of the program year.
- Sni Valley Academy: Reich described Sni Valley Academy as a credit‑recovery and alternative‑school pathway (not a behavior‑focused placement). Graduation counts at the program rose from 21 graduates in 2019–20, grew to 52 in 2022–23, and continue a rising trend; Reich said the program has benefited from additional instructional space.
- Back‑to‑school fair and Bright Futures: The district’s third annual Bright Futures back‑to‑school fair served 84 students this year, up from 69, and staff said they are using surveys to reach families earlier and track needs for the next school year.
Staffing, partnerships and next steps
Reich and the liaisons credited partnerships with Burrell, Country Crossroads (school‑based therapy) and local faith‑based and community organizations. She noted the district’s use of Stryvin’ — a county‑level resource hub — and said the district is trying to make referrals easier and more visible for families.
Board members pressed on several operational points: whether all buildings have equitable access to school‑based therapists (staff said availability varies by building and clinician schedules), how success of the diversion program will be measured (Burrell will provide outcome data annually), and whether two FSLs are sufficient given current caseloads (several board members signaled they want that conversation revisited if demand continues to grow).
Reich said future goals include continued proactive outreach, stronger MTSS (multi‑tiered systems of support) for behavior, and ensuring smooth transitions out of school‑based therapy when students are ready. She invited board questions and said staff will return with outcome data from Burrell and other partners.
Ending
Board members praised growth in prevention‑oriented supports and asked staff to return with program outcomes, caseload splits by building and recommendations if demand outpaces current staffing. No board action was taken; the report was informational.
