Student Benefits from Wraparound Services at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Some of the training courses new staff are taking in before school include Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) to better serve our students.

St. Joseph’s Indian School’s new and returning staff are currently in “busy bee” mode as the start of a new school year is just around the corner.

Since July 19, new staff has been engaged in 80 hours of staff training. By the end of the year, their combined in-person instruction will total more than 1,100 hours. All staff comes together on August 2 for an entire week of preparation. Training ensures qualified staff and consistent delivery of wraparound services to the students who attend the school.

St. Joseph’s Indian School is a member of the Coalition of Residential Excellence (CORE), a national organization committed to ensuring quality care for children and youth in residential communities. Child Services staff complete several trainings approved by CORE, as well as other mission-focused sessions.

The school provides wraparound student services throughout the year. Every student has a Family Service Counselor to coordinate services. Sophomore Juliana LaRoche enjoys having her own counselor on campus and knows she can always call on her.

Juliana helped tutor summer school kids every morning, and she did awesome!

“I feel like St. Joe’s is a safe place to be, and the teachers and counselors help make us feel safe while away from home. I can always go to my counselor if I need anything because I trust her, and she has the resources I need,” said LaRoche.

Among the many opportunities the school offers is Drivers Education. LaRoche took the course this past year. She couldn’t be happier with her results. “Passing my test made me feel independent and that I was able to do things on my own. Now I can say I have my learner’s permit,” said LaRoche.

The school also operates summer programs during June and July. Grade-school students live with houseparents on campus, attend summer school during the day and participate in recreation and short group trips. High School students can also stay, work on campus or in the community or assist with the grade-school summer program.

LaRoche participated in the high school summer program, was able to find work at a local hotel as a housekeeper and dedicated the rest of her time to working with the 6th– through 8th-grade students attending summer school.

“I think it really helped prepare the students for high school. They were able to ask us older students questions about high school and feel comfortable doing so. I felt like a mentor to the younger students, which was pretty cool,” said LaRoche.

Grade school students will return to campus on Sunday, August 8, with classes beginning Tuesday, August 10. High school students return to school on August 15.

Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future.

2 thoughts on “Student Benefits from Wraparound Services at St. Joseph’s Indian School”

  1. I continue to be impressed with the quality of care given to the students…..training is key for staff to enable them to meet the needs of the students!!

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