WRAP specialists provide individuals with emergency emotional support, help students resolve problems with other students or teachers, and help identify students who need extra academic or person assistance. These specialists attend student improvement and grade-level team meetings, as well as work with parents and extended families. They lead and teach student support groups and help families connect with other service agencies outside of school.

We have two very talented school counselors at Central, but such in-depth, personal involvement with more than 500 students is more than any two people can manage. Additionally, roughly one-half or slightly more than half of our student population is from a low socio-economic background, based on the number of students receiving free and reduced lunches. Over one-third of our seventh-grade team’s student group has received WRAP services to this point, and I am confident the other two seventh-grade team’s participation would be similar. WRAP specialists help many of our students, in all grade levels, every day.

As a veteran teacher in Lawrence schools, I am acutely aware of the difficult decisions required to reduce the district budget, and the agonizing thought and planning already given to this task. Since I began teaching in this district in 1975, I have never witnessed a program serve more students more effectively than this one. We could not continue the same level of personal service to our students and families without it. I appeal to our school board members and civic leaders to find a way to keep this valuable program.

Jan Olin,

Lawrence