Parents and Guardians of LCSD#2,

As part of meeting the social and emotional needs of our students, Lincoln County School District #2 is collaborating with multiple local, county, and state agencies to implement a new initiative called Handle with Care.

Handle with Care is an initiative to allow local agencies to notify the school system when a child experiences something traumatic that the school may not otherwise be aware of. 

When children may be present at the scene of an event, or a tragic event may affect a child associated, law enforcement, other first responders, child services, and medical providers have been trained to identify the children affected, find out what school they attend, and send a point of contact with the school a confidential email that simply says, ‘Child’s name HWC’ (or Handle with Care). In order to protect the family’s privacy, the communication will not provide any other details.

The simple “Handle with Care” communication allows the schools to initially be aware of the child and respond positively and in supportive ways without any pressure on the child to share what is on their mind. Should more information come to the school through proper communication, the schools’ mental health teams can adjust accordingly to provide the appropriate support as needed.

As we begin the implementation of this program for the 2020-21 school year, and if you have any questions or concerns, please contact Barb Merritt, LCSW at Star Valley High School: 307-885-7847 or a school counselor/ psychologist at your child’s school. 

Finally, as parents/guardians, you have the best insight if your child is experiencing additional stress, anxiety, or other upsetting emotions that may impact their behavior at school.  This is an open invitation, if your student or your family is going through a difficult time, to feel free to reach out to your school counselor/psychologist, principal, and/or teacher to request heightened awareness surrounding your student so that we might serve them better.

Thank you,

Lincoln County School District #2