Board reviews several MOUs with community partners to expand volunteer, mental-health, and clinic services

The board reviewed a suite of memoranda of understanding and partnership proposals intended to expand volunteer support, mental-health prevention and school-based clinical services.

Waterbury Public Schools requested approval to finalize an agreement with New Opportunities Incorporated to place RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) volunteers in schools for classroom support. The district also sought approval to enter an agreement with New Opportunities' AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program, which places senior volunteers to mentor children with special or exceptional needs. Staff said New Opportunities conducts volunteer recruitment and background checks.

The district also proposed a memorandum of understanding with the Connecticut Education Resource Center (CERC) to provide informational sessions and technical assistance for parent-family liaisons on substance-use prevention and mental-health prevention best practices.

Separately, staff presented a no-cost two-year MOU with Connecticut Junior Republic (CJR) to implement a SAFE (Success Always Follows Education) school-based clinic program providing wraparound services, behavioral-health clinicians and academic supports in named schools; the MOU becomes effective on mayoral signature and terminates 06/30/2028 unless grant funding continues the arrangement.

Board members asked operational questions — where volunteers are placed, vetting processes and performance metrics — and staff said principals submit forms to document volunteer or clinician activity and the district will compile that data for board review.

Next steps: the board is expected to approve these agreements in a subsequent vote (some items were described as requests for approval to finalize the MOUs).