Latest news with #LoriMorgan
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
How a California school district is solving the problem of chronically absent students
As a school nurse in a rural district in Livingston, California, Lori Morgan's job usually involves scraped knees and vision tests. But she couldn't help putting one more task on her to-do list: attendance. "In a perfect world, the first time they didn't come to school, we would go out and meet the parent or call the parent," Morgan said. Morgan said she calls the parents, and if they don't answer, she visits families at home, encouraging them to reach out to her personally with questions about stomachaches or anxiety. "When somebody will say, 'Lori, what are you doing calling me at 7 at night?' Well, which kid do I give 50% to? I gotta give each one of them 100%," Morgan said. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of chronically absent students more than doubled to a peak of 31% in the 2021-2022 school year, according to the Department of Education. The most recent data shows 28% of students were chronically absent in the 2022-2023 school year, meaning they missed 10% or more of school days. Because of the pandemic, many younger children never got the chance to attend day care and build good habits. In California, one in three kindergartners are chronically absent, according to state data. At the beginning of the year, Karolina Garcia's 5-year-old daughter Selene was missing at least one day a week on average. "Am I a bad mom for leaving her when she's crying or am I a bad mom because she doesn't wanna go and I'm still taking her?" Garcia said. Garcia said it was often hard to convince her daughter to go to school because she would tell her mom she was getting bullied or getting in trouble. Missing one day of school at that age is more like missing three, with students needing two days to catch up, educators in the district say. Only 17% of kids chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade were able to read proficiently in third grade, according to the nonprofit Attendance Works. "We don't stop. We keep going. If you miss some of the foundational skills, we don't stop and go back necessarily," Morgan said. Morgan has helped make her district, the Livingston Union School District, an outlier, dropping its chronic absentee rate from 19% to 14%, according to the California Department of Education. The school focuses on connection and rewards good attendance with extra recess to teach kids from a young age that they are wanted at school — and giving parents such as single mom Garcia any extra support they might need. "Sometimes you gotta fix what's going on with the adults in the house before you can have a healthy kid," Morgan said. "I know how important it is for a child to get a really good education," Morgan continued. "You start off bagging kindergarten, it all really does matter." She's living the lesson she wants to teach parents and students: It's simply showing up that matters most.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tioga County announces new online mental health resource platform
TIOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Tioga County residents are now able to discover local mental health resources all in one place. Tioga County Public Health, in collaboration with Tioga County Mental Hygiene, recently introduced a new mental health and wellness online platform called CredibleMind. CredibleMind allows users to find mental health resources nearby in order to increase support and access options. 'The ability to provide Tioga County with 24/7 access to mental health and general well-being resources is a huge asset to our community' said Director of Community Services, Lori Morgan. 'This platform allows people to explore and discover the resources available to them all in one place.' Since its inception in 2018, CredibleMind focuses on early intervention and prevention of over 100 different mental health topics. This resource is free to use for Tioga County residents. 'Our community's mental health and wellbeing is a priority, and the launch of CredibleMind will provide our residents with valuable resources for mental health and well-being', stated Heather Vroman, Public Health Director. 'We believe prioritizing mental health is essential, and this platform is a significant step forward to supporting our community and this goal.' To celebrate the launch, CredibleMind and the Tioga County Suicide Prevention Coalition are running a promotion for Mental Health Awareness Month in May. During the initiative, Tioga County residents who complete the mental health check-in will be eligible to win either a $100 gift card or $50 gift card. To access the Tioga County CredibleMind platform visit or search Tioga County Public Health or Tioga County Mental Hygiene on Facebook. Construction wrapping up on Front Street railroad bridge Binghamton man sentenced to six years in prison for possession of a firearm Rumble Ponies' newest pitcher throws 100+ MPH by doing this Tioga County announces new online mental health resource platform Morning sunshine before showers and storms this afternoon and evening Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
