BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Meeting in January, the Boardman Local School Board unanimously gave its approval to an addendum to an existing contract with the Alta Care Group to provide counseling services to “bring back disengaged, remote students” to the system’s three elementary schools at a cost $75/hour, not to exceed $22,500.
      The local school district said “it is expected that the results of the services provided under the addendum will support the potential attendance demands that comes from Gov. Mike DeWine’s anticipation of a return to in-person learning by Mar. 1.”
      Specifically, according to the addendum, an elementary student engagement specialist will be assigned to each elementary school building, Robinwood Lane, West Boulevard and Stadium Drive.
      The specialist is directed to communicate with school staff and parents/guardians “regarding attendance and performance issues of ‘identified’ students,” as well as “explore barriers to education and in-person or remote learning, and offer tours and ‘demo’ protocols to parents and or guardians in an effort to “facilitate experiences to increase student/family comfort in returning to the school building.”
      Another goal of the program is to bring back low performing remote students to in-person learning by coaching students with organization and study habits in the classroom, and to develop a homework planner shared between the school and home.
      Under terms of the addendum approved by the school board, the Alta Care Group must complete its services no later Apr. 30; and the school system agreed to provide access to all “personnel and documents reasonable necessary for the performance of the care group’s duties.”