Skip To Main Content

Mobile Nav Container

Student Assistance & Family Support

Student Assistance Program (SAP)

Student Assistance Program (SAP) teams are active in the high school, middle school and elementary schools. SAP teams are comprised of professionals who establish good rapport with students and are dedicated to prevention and intervention efforts; such professionals generally include: teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, social worker, and the school nurse. The high school team is called RHS SAP, the middle school's team is RMS SAP and each team at the elementary level is known as the Student Resource Team (SRT).

Family Support Services

Student success and well being are achieved when the important adults involved in the lives of youth are able to work collaboratively to support their needs as individuals. Positive home, school, and community communication are critical to improving student outcomes and modeling collaborative problem solving. School Social Workers perform a multitude of functions that can address barriers to an individual’s ability to reach his/her fullest and healthiest potential.

Mental Health Student Supports

Registered Behavior Technicians and Behavioral Support

Many students have unique and complex needs, such as behavioral challenges, school refusal, and attendance issues. RTSD has invested supports in the area of Social Emotional Learning and Behavior to decreases these challenges and to allow students to more fully engage in their educational experiences. These supports include:

  • Registered Behavior Technicians
  • Emotional Support Teacher staff
  • Clinical Counseling
  • Social Workers
  • School Counselors
  • Applied Behavior Analysis Techniques 
  • Individual Positive Behavior Support Plans

Social Emotional Learning & Self-Care Training and Support

Over the past few years and increasingly during the Covid-19 pandemic, numerous supports and services in the area of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) have been made available to staff, students, and parents. These include:

  • Training on Self-Care from Troy Brindle for staff, students and parents
  • An increase in web-based software for SEL to support in-class instruction
  • After-school staff support in the area of self-care and emotional well-being
  • An increase in Special Education supports based on individual student needs
  • Revamped and expanded Student Assistance Program supports
  • Strengthening of counseling and social worker supports
  • Numerous live and recorded webinars and trainings for parents to view to support virtual and in-home learning

Specialized Program Training

A variety of replacement and supplemental programs are utilized based on team decisions and progress monitoring data. Prior to and increased during the pandemic, RTSD has invested in new programs for teachers to utilize when addressing individual needs in the areas of reading, math, and writing. These programs have been expanded and include but are not limited to:

  • Wilson Certification Program
  • Lindamood Bell Programs (Seeing Stars and Visualizing Verbalizing)
  • Read 180
  • System 44
  • iRead
  • Math180

RTSD has allocated select Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to support this expansion of program options.

Contracted Supports

Many universal supports are provided to all students K-12, including but not limited to Positive Behavior Supports, Responsive Classroom, Advisory, and Academic Support Center. While universal supports are necessary to ensure common instructional approaches for all students, there are students with unique needs.

To support the areas of mental health and social emotional wellbeing, RTSD has contracted with Lakeside and Caron Service providers to assist in delivering clinical support counseling, SAP assessments, and supports for families. These intensive supports are provided based on individual needs and team decisions and are delivered within all of our school buildings. These supports are initiated through a referral process and through team decision-making.

Mental Health Community Based Resources

If you or a family member need mental health services, there are several ways to obtain support. This page highlights a starting point for services and information and is by no means an exhaustive list. There are additional levels of care and a plethora of providers that individuals may be able to access for various needs. If you have any questions, please contact someone on your school team (school counselor, social worker, psychologist, nurse or principal).

Here are some initial steps you can take:

  1. Contact your insurance company directly for resources and coverage 
  2. Utilize your employer’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
  3. Reach out to your primary care doctor for referrals and resources 
  4. Contact your RTSD social worker for assistance navigating local community agencies and providers that may accept your insurance. Several providers are now offering Teletherapy in lieu of in person sessions. 
    1. For grades Pre-K and 6-8, contact Ceire Evans
    2. For grades 9-12, contact Christine Kulp
    3. For grades K-5, contact Marjorie Bates

In the event of an emergency, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.