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Belvidere district outlines strategic‑plan progress and pilots a mental‑health screener ahead of state mandate
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Summary
Administrators updated the board on midyear strategic‑plan progress — including math and career pathways — and said the district piloted a mental‑health screener at Everest High as it prepares for a state mandate to screen students in grades 3–12.
District administrators presented a midyear strategic‑plan update April 20, highlighting curriculum work, career and technical education, family partnership efforts and an early pilot of a mental‑health screener at Everest High School.
Dr. Carson and Dr. Johnson summarized three strategic goals: academic programming (math action plan and new literacy curriculum), expanded internship and job‑shadow opportunities for students, and family/community partnerships with a new searchable directory of community partners. Administrators pointed to improved substitute‑fill rates and staff and family satisfaction survey results as indicators of progress.
Dr. Johnson described a small pilot of a mental‑health screener used at Everest High as part of planning ahead of a state requirement scheduled to become clearer next fall. “We were notified…that the state board of education is looking for districts to have screening for students,” Dr. Johnson said, adding the state appears to be considering an annual, third‑through‑12th grade screen with a passive (opt‑out) consent model. The district is discussing what vendors, contracts and operational procedures would be needed to scale the work and how to use and respond to the data.
Special education leadership also reported progress implementing a prior special‑education audit: creation of work groups, a district continuum‑of‑services webpage, internal training for behavior plans and the rollout of SLANT and IXL tools. Administrators said some out‑of‑district placements have been reduced and phased returns to district programs are planned.
Board members asked for additional details about the mental‑health mandate and about practical examples of job‑shadow or internship experiences; staff said sample vendor tools and deeper planning will be presented as the state provides specifics next fall.
