Student Mental Health Climate Update:
By donating over $25,000 toward mental health programming for BCPS students, the Bedford Area Educational Foundation, with support from the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation and the Bedford Community Health Foundation, has really moved the needle!
Elementary - Kimochi’s Curriculum
● Across all thirteen Elementary Schools in BCPS, School Counselors delivered 286 total lessons to approximately 2,496 students, emphasizing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.
● With the funding provided, each school Counselor received a comprehensive “K-5 Toolkit” that included a teaching manual, stuffed characters used for teaching, ongoing technical support, access to online materials, and hardcover character books used to supplement and reinforce initial instruction.
● The division-wide implementation of the Kimochi’s Curriculum is having a positive impact on students, staff, and school culture. Seven elementary schools experienced a decrease in the number of disciplinary incidents when comparing the 2023-2024 school year (pre-Kimochi’s) to the 2024-2025 school year (Kimochi’s implementation). These decreases in disciplinary incidents ranged from an 11.3% decrease at one school up to a 32.6% decrease at another school. Several of the schools that did not experience a decrease in disciplinary incidents saw a very small increase that would not be considered statistically significant.
● Preliminary academic achievement data indicate that students in Bedford County Public Schools are improving over time. BCPS was ranked 36th in the state for academic achievement based on 2023-2024 test results. BCPS has moved up to 31st in the state for academic achievement based on 2024-2025 test results. Moreover, in both reading and math, BCPS elementary students achieved far above the state average in every single grade level. Finally, two elementary schools where Kimochi’s was implemented with a tremendous level of excitement saw academic increases so high that they were recognized as some of the most improved elementary schools in the entire Commonwealth.
● While we are still awaiting final data from the Virginia Department of Education, preliminary analysis also indicates that absenteeism improved at numerous Elementary Schools.
Secondary - Coping and Support Training (CAST)
● Across the six secondary campuses, approximately 34 students participated in strategic, intensive instruction emphasizing building self-esteem, setting and monitoring goals, decision making, and personal control.
● With the funding provided, additional staff members were trained to become CAST Facilitators at the middle school level, and the number of CAST Facilitators at the high school level could be contained. Funding also ensured access to digital workbooks for students that can be printed, teaching materials for staff, and other supplemental resources that can be printed and used with students.
● Students who participated in CAST saw fewer disciplinary incidents (and fewer discipline-related removals) following their completion of the CAST program.
● Bedford County Public Schools saw an overall decrease in the number of students being referred for a repeat substance-related offense. As a result, the number of suspensions related to substance use also decreased when comparing the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.
● Finally, the number of students referred for long-term removal due to numerous substance use incidents drastically decreased when those students were referred to the CAST program following their first offense, when comparing the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.
We could not be more pleased with these results and are grateful to all of our funding partners for supporting this effort!
Most Gratefully,
Jay
Dr. Jay White, MSG, CDP
info@bedfordeducation.com
| 
