Student Health Advisory Council members worked through a draft of recommendations to make to the Ector County ISD board at its upcoming meeting.
It runs through what the council has supported and what it would like to see next year.
Campus-level SHACs are something that was approved last year, but Michael Neiman, the SHAC liaison to the school board, said leadership hasn’t been available to do it.
Ideally, Neiman said, he’d like to see a campus Student Health Advisory Council on every campus.
In the past year, SHAC has supported federal Every Student Succeeds Act $11,032 in funding for the athletic and health services departments for defibrillators, Celox gauze, tourniquets and Stop the Bleed kits.
The group also made sure the ECISD and Odessa police have their communication radios in sync for school safety which has been the group’s focus this year.
They also will recommend that the district adapt a human growth and development curriculum for special education students in high school.
Parent previews of the curriculum also is recommended.
Offering trauma-informed care for a wide spectrum of campus personnel.
Any experience that leaves a person feeling hopeless, helpless, fearing for their life or survival, their safety, or the life, safety or survival of a loved one is trauma.
Executive Director of Guidance and Counseling Nancy Vanley has said she would like to see more people trained to recognize students who have experienced trauma and be able to teach students coping skills.
Tracey Borchardt, assistant athletic director, said she thinks everyone should be involved in mindfulness training.
SHAC co-chair Tami Cole said eventually it would probably be a time saver.
ECISD Police Lt. Scott McKown showed a Bearacade that can be used in classrooms for security. He said they will be installed in every classroom at the middle and high schools and next year they will start on the elementary schools.
The Bearacades were paid for with federal funds.
