SIDNEY — A joint effort between Sidney City Schools and county agencies has one goal in mind: to help the district’s children succeed and overcome any hardships they might encounter.

The Sidney City Assessment Team — SCAT — was formed to wrap services around students and families in an organized way within the district, said Brooke Gessler, curriculum director, during Monday night’s board of education meeting. SCAT wants to maximize the help of community partners outside the district.

The district, said Gessler, has worked for two years to form forces with the community agencies for the betterment of the students.

The idea for the group formed in September 2014 during the annual meeting with the Juvenile Court prosecutor and Sidney City Schools administrators. On Oct. 15, 2014, during a summit meeting, the school district requested information on resources, processes and supports for families and students who are struggling.

On Oct. 28, 2014, Gessler met with Amy Simindinger and McKenzie Lotz, Shelby County Juvenile Court, to pull together resources and form a team of SCS and Shelby County community partners.

The group’s first meeting was held Dec. 12, 2014. They have been meeting regularly ever since.

“We see challenges the younger students are facing now and we ask how can we (court) help them, said Simindinger. “We wanted to bring the agencies together to help the Sidney students.”

The SCAT, she said, is based on the Shelby County’s Diversion Assessment Team (DAT).

Mike McRill, Sidney Police Department resource officer, has spent time in the teaching system and knows the challenges students face today.

“We’re a village who sits down at the table to talk about families,” said McRill. “What can we do to help the family succeed.”

The SCAT referral program allows teachers, guidance counselors and other school employees such as cafeteria workers and custodians write up a referral about a student.

“All the agencies have a stake in making the kids succeed,” said McRill.

Students who have a pattern of behavior that is negatively impacting their academics may be referred to the program.

“Whomever makes the referral initiates or assists in initiating a meeting with the parent/guardian in order to obtain consent to share the information with SCAT,” said Gessler.

The signed referral is brought to SCAT and the team then begins to brainstorm on how to help and what the team’s next steps should be. At each meeting there is an update on all the cases in order to check on the student’s progress.

“We have five referrals,” said Gessler. “We had one where the student was in elementary school and they had a behavior problem. The child was the oldest of six siblings and the mom was struggling.

“We worked with the mom to wrap agencies around her,” she said. “We share information. We didn’t have a true picture of what was going on. Then we prepare for the next steps.”

“We were able to call mom and tell her we can help you and these are some ideas for you,” said McRill.

“SCAT is a great way to organize us to help the students,” said Gessler.

The program, said Simindinger, will also allow them to follow the student from building to building to make sure they stay on track.

“We are looking for trends,” said Gessler, who is the chair of the group. “We want to be proactive to keep the kids out of the courts and keep them in school.”

Superintendent John Scheu commended the group for the work they have done in two short years.

“To provide the wrap around services your group provides is for the families’s benefit,” said Scheu. “It’s incredible what you’ve done.”

SCAT goals, said Gessler, is to prevent suspensions, expulsions and court involvement in a more proactive way; support students and their families; build stronger relationship amond school, courts, community agencies and families.

Members of the team are Chad Gessler, Clear Creek Farm/Parent Project director; Diann Rodrigues, DAT/Family & children First; Dave Jenkins, Job and Family Services; Amy Simindinger and McKenzie Lotz, Shelby County Juvenile Court; Mike McRill, Sidney Police Department, Community Resource Officer; Tammy Drerup, Karen McRill, Brooke Gessler, Chase Clark, Fran Dembski, Megan Williams, Matt Norviel, Anne Geise, Charlie Tucker, Evan Jackson and Jason McLain, all Sidney City Schools employees.