Rapid City Area Schools are working is including new diversity programs in K-12 classrooms. A group of social workers are traveling between the 23 schools in the district teaching staff and students of all backgrounds.
There are several different focuses for the social workers. Some are affiliated with Title Six Indian Education and work with Native students and families. They add cultural proficiency to schools when it’s needed. Another focuses on preventing truancy. And general social workers teach suicide prevention training and help students through crises. Whitnee Pearce is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Outreach for Rapid City Area Schools.
“Our social workers also work with our administrations at all the facilities on restorative justice practices and discipline models. And they facilitate talking circles and different things like that to really move through conflict management in different areas weather that’s with families, with students, amongst staff.”
Pearce says now mental health services and crisis management services are available to all students. The goal is to teach employees how to work around student’s trauma and help them cope.
“The district has really understood the importance of students being resilient in their own right. If students are having problems and don’t understand conflict management, don’t understand communication or how to handle their emotions, how can we expect them to get their math assignment done if they are going through trauma themselves.”
She says another big focus is bridging the gap between Native students and families and the institution. They’re focusing on cultural needs and language barriers. Pearce says even though it’s in the early stages, the program has been successful.
“They are just hitting the ground running. They are busy, busy, busy throughout the district which is absolutely amazing and I think showcases really the need of mental health support and I think also support for the families that we need in our communities as well.”
The social workers are planning several staff training courses, including how to culturally sensitive ways to teach Thanksgiving history.