GIFTS Grant brings expanded counseling services to three area districts
Educational Service District 112 was awarded a Federal Elementary School Counseling Programs grant in July 2004 which provides elementary school counseling services to Ocean Beach, Kelso and Wahkiakum school districts. The grant, named GIFTS (Guiding the Future of Today's Students) , provides a total of $1.2 million over three years to the districts.
Through the grant, Kelso School District hired three counselors to serve its seven elementary schools. Ocean Beach and Wahkiakum each hired one counselor. The new counselors are the first elementary counselors in these schools. It is hoped that the counselors will help reduce discipline referrals, improve attendance rates and bolster academic scores.
Jodi Thomas - February 2005