North Scott rolls out two-year "Check and Connect" mentoring for struggling freshmen

The North Scott Community School District board heard a presentation on Check and Connect, a structured two-year mentoring intervention designed to improve stability, trust, accountability and student connection to school for at-risk freshmen.

Presenter (unnamed), speaking for district staff, said the program began with 19 students identified by junior-high teachers and counselors and paired each student with one of eight mentors. "It is a structured mentoring intervention, and it's a 2 year commitment," the presenter said. Staff reported eight district employees received training in April 2025 from Nick Swanson; trainees included three counselors (Anastasia, Emily and Trixie) and four core freshman teachers (Zeb Lemner, Holly Olting, Heather Wand and Tim Brunkin).

District staff said the initiative is part of the district's MTSS…