HISD will have Wraparound Specialist in every school for the first time. What is it and how will it help?

Houston ISD welcomes students back to schools during pandemic

Houston ISD are heading back to schools and a new staff member called the wrap around specialist will be the new face students will see. The specialists are there to help kids with whatever they need.

HOUSTON - It isn’t only the first day back to school in Houston ISD but also the first day back in the building for thousands of students since the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year. So what is the district doing to pinpoint students who may need special attention? Well, just as COVID-19 affects many people in many ways that’s also true of the pandemic. So for the first time ever, this school year HISD will have what’s called a Wraparound Specialist on every campus.

You don’t typically go on a shopping spree at school but this year isn’t typical.

"This is an important first day. For 60% of the students in HISD they haven’t seen a classroom in quite some time," explains HISD Superintendent Millard House as he tours the donation closet at Wesley Elementary. "It’s about providing for the whole child," says Superintendent House.

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As Houston Independent School District students head back to the building, they’ll notice several things they’ve never seen before because of the pandemic including a new staff member called a Wraparound Specialist.

"COVID relief funds, ESSER dollars allowed the opportunity for us to put a Wraparound Specialist in every one of our schools," House adds.

Before now, a small grant helped add a couple of Wraparound Specialists to the district in the last couple of years. Now every school will have one.

"Some of them that are very large will have two," explains HISD Board President Dr. Patricia Allen.

That specialist will help kids who are in need of anything you can think of, from clothing to food to psychological support.

"It frees up a lot of things that the teachers used to do," says Dr. Allen.

"It’s not just about the academic well-being of our students. It’s about the social and emotional well-being also," says Superintendent House.

"It allows someone to be there for the child, be there for social and emotional support if they need that," adds Dr. Allen.

The specialist will go beyond what counselors do and provide resources for not only students but also their parents and will even help families deal with grief, if necessary.

"Losing family members, aunts, uncles, just the major loss with the pandemic hitting so hard right now, sometimes it’s frightening and the little ones don’t understand why the adults are so frightened," Dr. Allen explains.

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Although HISD is still in need of a few dozen bus drivers and more than 300 teachers, the staffing shortage will not interfere with wraparound services and the district is only in need of filling two more Wraparound Specialist positions.

If you would like to apply to teach in HISD go to houstonisd.org. The starting salary is $54,369.