Every school faces challenges when it comes to student wellbeing—whether it’s supporting mental health, improving attendance, or responding to crises. If you’ve worked with the Student Wellness Department before, you know we’re here to support your district. But with our rapid growth (our staff has increased by over 200% since 2020!), we want to update you on the scope of our services.

A Team with a Broad Perspective

Our team includes experts from diverse fields —special education, school counseling, social work, mental health, law, behavior support, district administration, and teaching. This breadth of experience allows us to bring a well-rounded, informed approach to every project, meeting, and service we provide.

How We Support Schools

The Student Wellness Department collaborates with district leadership, school teams, and staff to provide coaching, consultation, and professional development across a variety of areas. Some projects require only a few meetings, while others extend over several years.

We offer guidance on a wide range of critical topics, including:

✔ Mental Health & Staff Wellness – Trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning, and universal screeners.

✔ Attendance – Support for HB 410 compliance, chronic absenteeism, intervention teams, and mediation.

✔ Crisis Response & Safety – Suicide prevention, CSTAG threat assessment, crisis prevention training, and verbal de-escalation.

✔ Behavior & School Climate – PBIS/MTSS integration, social-emotional learning, cultural responsiveness, and state recognition.

✔ Integrated Health & Prevention Education – School-based health centers, youth-led programs, and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training.

✔ Paraprofessional Training – Equipping support staff with essential skills and tools.

✔ Additional Support – Assistance with foster care, homelessness, system navigation, and family engagement.

Why This Matters

Our mission is simple: To drive systemic change through consulting and coaching, ensuring every student’s health, well-being, and safety.

If you ever wonder, Can the Student Wellness team help with this?—the answer is probably YES! And if not, we can connect you with the right organization to meet your needs.

Looking for grant-writing support? We specialize in crafting strong proposals, aligning funding opportunities with district needs, and building successful partnerships. Let us help you navigate the process and maximize your impact!

Let’s Connect!

We’d love to support your work. For questions or to explore collaboration opportunities, reach out to:

📩 Gina Woodward, Administrative Assistant

📍 Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio

📧 gina.woodward@escneo.org

Together, we can create a learning environment where every student thrives!



Did you know that 80% of Restorative practices (RP) are proactive? We are so frequently reminded to build relationships with students, but how exactly do we do that? What does that look like? Restorative Practices gives us strategies to develop meaningful connections with students in order to create a positive school culture. The 20% responsive aspect helps to address challenging behavior and resolve conflicts more effectively. Instead of relying on punitive discipline, RP focuses on accountability, healing, and growth. 

Do you still need convincing?

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce suggests Restorative Practices as an alternative to traditional discipline. RP not only builds trust and fosters belonging, but it also encourages open communication by creating safe spaces for active listening. RP used in response to challenging behavior incidents can help teams identify the root cause of behavior while helping students to understand, reflect, and make amends. RP teaches conflict resolution and develops empathy while supporting emotional regulation. It is focused on encouraging students to see how their actions impact others. By creating a safe environment where we solve problems constructively and encourage accountability without shame, we begin to move toward supporting healing and growth in place of punishment. Students can learn from their mistakes and feel heard and understood, which reduces resentment and prevents recurring issues. RP promotes teamwork, collaboration, and mutual respect. Lastly, RP fits into MTSS/PBIS frameworks which emphasize teaching expected behaviors versus punishing missteps. 

But, where do I begin? 

There are many RP strategies along a continuum of implementation. Here are just a few to consider developing:

✅ Community Circles: Build relationships, discuss issues, and solve problems together

✅ Restorative Conversations: Address conflicts through structured, supportive dialogue

✅ Peer Mediation: Train students to help resolve disputes with guidance

✅ Repair Agreements: Help students take accountability and restore harm done

Restorative practices still teach consequences, but shift from punishment to accountability, healing, and skill-building. Schools that implement RP see improved relationships, fewer suspensions, and a more positive learning environment.

The Student Wellness Department (SWD) has multiple consultants trained in Restorative Practices implementation. Connect with us today to discuss how you can get started with RP or expand what you currently have in place.