Stronger Connections Grant

District receives Stronger Connections grant supports mental health services

Walla Walla Public Schools was one of 12 recipients from a pool of 54 applications for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Stronger Connections grant. The Stronger Connections grant is an outcome of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act with a specific focus on the aspect of investing in children and families’ mental health services.

This three-year grant will bring approximately $1.6 million dollars total, helping support many of the core initiatives prioritized by families, faculty and students as part of the district's new strategic plan, Vision 2030. Core investments include continued partnership with Community in Schools and Hazel Health in addition to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) implementation.

The district's partnership with Community in Schools provides dedicated staff across campuses in order to support increased parent, family and community involvement and engagement. Hazel Health provides teletherapy mental health counseling access for students, in partnership with their families, so they have the support they need to respond to life's challenges and can focus on learning. Universal Design for Learning is a framework to guide how educators craft lessons and the learning environments in order to improve access, rigor and engagement.

The outcome of all three aspects of the Stronger Connections grant, aligned to our new strategic plan, will help advance our vision towards Developing Washington's Most Sought After Graduates.

See more about OSPI Stronger Connections Grant program HERE