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Canal Winchester expands 'Handle With Care' notification so families can flag students needing support
Summary
Director of student services Max Lithan described a district 'Handle With Care' program that lets families submit a brief Google form to alert counselors and (optionally) teachers when a student may need extra support; staff reported 77 submissions through February and said the service is free beyond staff time.
Max Lithan, the district’s director of student services, told the Canal Winchester Board of Education that the district this year rolled out a 'Handle With Care' notification system that allows caregivers to signal when a student might be struggling without sharing sensitive details.
"We're going to talk about the initiative a little bit… the Handle With Care initiative empowers families and caregivers to notify staff and students when they might be struggling," Lithan said, explaining families complete a short Google form on the district website (cwschools.org) and can choose whether a teacher or a counselor is notified.
Lithan said the program is currently free of direct cost to the district beyond staff time to review and respond. "It's free," he told the board when asked about expenses, adding that counselors will triage submissions and follow up when families request contact.
Staff provided usage numbers through February: Indian Trail logged 9 submissions, Winchester Trail 22, the middle school 31 and the high school 15, for 77 total. Lithan said counselors review the form responses at monthly meetings and that the district has implemented building-specific links to make submission easier for families with students in multiple schools.
Board members asked about who sees form responses and how teachers are notified. Staff said the form asks whether the family wants the teacher contacted; counselors use that preference to decide whether to alert classroom staff. An online viewer who spoke during public voice emphasized the need for the staff member with the most contact time with a student to receive relevant notifications; staff said they would continue refining visibility and procedures at the next counselor meeting.
Lithan said the district is tracking the program’s use and will update the board in future reports; he also said the district is monitoring parallel programs being developed in Fairfield and Franklin counties to coordinate any partnership when those county systems become active.
Next steps include monthly reporting to the board, continued counselor-led review of submissions, and communication to families about the program and how to use the form.
