Putnam County emphasizes student health, mental-health supports and staff benefits
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Summary
The superintendent said the district provided 673 free ECG screenings for grades 7–12, launched a Resilient Roots family therapy program funded by United Way, opened a Marathon Health wellness center for employees and raised starting teacher pay to $48,000.
In his annual presentation the superintendent highlighted new and expanded health and workforce supports across the district. He said the district provided 673 free electrocardiogram heart screenings to students in grades 7–12 through a nonprofit partnership and launched a Resilient Roots family therapy program focused on trauma-informed services, supported by funding from United Way.
Staff health and compensation: The superintendent said the district held a ribbon cutting for a PCSD wellness center operated by Marathon Health that provides no-cost care to employees covered by the district health plan. He also said the district awarded raises for instructional, classified and support staff and reached a starting salary of $48,000 for new teachers after recent negotiations.
Other supports: The superintendent mentioned nonclinical resilience tools, including the district therapy dog 'Jazzy' and an animatronic 'Bouncy' used with youngest students, and the district podcast 'The Pulse' as a communications platform. He also noted a farm-to-school program supported by a state grant of nearly $800,000 to buy local produce and support regional farmers.
What’s next: The superintendent invited stakeholders to participate in forthcoming planning and emphasized continued investment in whole-child supports as the district moves into the final year of its current strategic plan.