Like many small, rural districts across North Dakota, Wilton Public Schools was limited in supporting students with needs outside of the classroom — especially when it came to helping families navigate the complicated web of community resources.
“We have had families that we just cannot do enough for because we don’t have the resources, the staff, or the time to really be able to help them,” said Wilton Elementary Principal Macy Wood.
To bridge the gap between homes, schools, and communities, they began a partnership with Nexus-PATH Family Healing to begin offering Targeted Case Management services in their district.
Wilton’s Nexus-PATH case manager has formed incredible bonds with students and their families. Since January, eight students have received a range of support from help accessing food to just having a trusted confidante to talk to.
“Those are eight kids that I don’t lie awake thinking that we don’t know how to help, or we can’t get them the services that they need,” Wood said.
One of these children is 10-year-old Allie*, who quietly shared her dream of playing softball with her Nexus-PATH case manager. The case manager helped Allie join a team and even drove her to games, taking Allie’s entire family out for ice cream afterward.
With a smile, Wood said, “Allie would come by our office with a huge grin on her face and tell us about her games. It’s an amazing feeling to know that you can help kids…and know that probably wouldn’t have happened without Nexus-PATH.”
*name, image and other details changed to maintain client privacy. Story adapted from original article by B-HERO, a partnership between Central Region Education Association (CREA) and the ND Behavioral Health Division.
"It’s an amazing feeling to know that you can help kids…and know that probably wouldn’t have happened without Nexus-PATH."
— Wilton Elementary Principal Macy Wood