The Santa Fe School District was given national praise on Thursday being singled out for best practices use of federal COVID funding.
Superintendent Larry Chavez participated in a national media availability with First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
The purpose was to highlight ways school districts across the country have been aided by funding through the American Rescue Plan.
Chavez said the funding has been used to help students who are dealing with mental health issues connected to the pandemic.
“Santa Fe Public Schools is using funds to hire a middle school restorative justice coordinator so we expand this service to all grade levels, pay for additional day for school counselors, implement the safe and civil schools initiative, provide culturally responsive strategies, provide school-based mental health services for our K-12 students which Secretary Cardona did have the opportunity to visit with, and explore multicare coordination for mental health to help eliminate any road blocks staff and students may find in accessing the health care needed,” he said
Cardona was in Santa Fe in April and met with students at Santa Fe High School, who told him about the mental health issues they were dealing with due to COVID.
Santa Fe was one of fifteen states and school districts praised for the use of best practices in connection to ARP funding.