Parkview staff brief Whitley County school board on staff wellness, student assistance and sports-medicine services

Parkview Health staff told the Whitley County Consolidated Schools board on July 20 that district wellness and student-support programs have expanded and are seeing growing use.

Skye Roberts, the district’s wellness coach, described one-on-one coaching, annual wellness challenges, December wellness screenings and monthly “lunch-and-learn” sessions for staff. Roberts said participation in the spring-reset challenge dropped from about 50 participants in 2025 to roughly 30 this year, while the district’s winter “12 Days of Fitness” grew from about 30 participants in 2023 to more than 60 most recently.

“Those screenings help people stick with the program,” Roberts said, describing biometric checks and follow-up conversations she uses to guide staff toward health goals.

Amy Brown, introduced by Roberts as a district employee and participant in the coaching program, gave a personal account of physical and mental benefits: increased muscle mass, better sleep and reduced stress. Brown said she won a LILI grant that supported an outdoor backpacking trip and credited coaching with helping her reach fitness and work-related goals. “It really pays off, and I really appreciate Skye and everything that she does,” Brown said.

Jenna Garcia outlined how the Student Assistance Program (SAP) works: referrals from teachers or staff, parental consent before counseling begins, an initial assessment by a therapist and a service cadence that typically starts weekly and tapers as the student improves. Garcia said elementary schools had about 45 students referred under SAP and another roughly 40 students at middle and high school levels, with the bulk being middle-school students; she reported 39 sessions in the fall and roughly 383 sessions in the spring at the secondary level, which administrators presented as evidence of demand.

Candice Duncan, director of sports medicine for Parkview Health, summarized athletic supports: two full-time athletic trainers and a strength-and-conditioning coach at the high school, monthly visits from a sports dietitian and a mental-performance coach. Duncan said Parkview recorded just over 2,000 unique athlete visits last year and noted increased female participation in the weight room. She described the mental-performance coach’s work as team-focused (leadership and game-day techniques) rather than clinical counseling.

Board members asked for program breakdowns and facility details. Roberts said the team converted an upstairs choir/planning room into a mobility room and two quiet rooms furnished with couches and seating; the district is adding equipment and planning a secured door and badge access before opening the space to staff. Administrators said they are buying equipment through an active wellness grant.

The presentations concluded with appreciation from the board for the services and a note from administrators that Parkview representatives were available to answer follow-up questions.