South Bend Community Schools is partnering with Oaklawn and the Paramount Health Data Project on a new initiative linking student health to academic achievement.
The collaboration uses data from school nurses, counselors, and teachers to identify early warning signs and tailor interventions. Paramount CEO Dr. Addie Angelov says the approach could redefine how schools support students.
“It’s a very innovative, whole-child approach to supporting kids,” Angelov said.
Her organization serves as the convener, analyzing health and academic data so schools can act before students fall behind.
“When you let teachers teach, and you let nurses nurse, and you let therapists provide therapy, your kids are going to achieve significantly higher,” she said.
Angelov says this partnership marks a national first; a coordinated effort uniting health care, mental health, and education under one system.
“We’ve seen a mental health provider, we’ve seen a school, and we’ve seen data analytics really come together in a tangible way,” she said. “This is the first time in the country that we have seen a school move in this direction.”
The project is funded by the Valinhos Foundation and will run through June.
