Pocahontas celebrates comprehensive growth

By DOUG CLOUGH editor@messengernews.net

POCAHONTAS — Joe Kramer, superintendent of schools at Pocahontas Area Community School District, has much to tout as leader for his school district.

“We’ve had a really big year when it comes to fulfilling our mission to create and maintain an environment that ensures students reach a high level of academic, social, emotional, physical, and aesthetic growth,” said Kramer. “We’ve seen new initiatives in four areas that have really stood out: mental health, technology, girls’ sports, and life skills.”

Pocahontas has a partnership with UnityPoint Health — BerryHill Center to place a therapist full time in the district to provide access to students from Pocahontas Area.

“Our area has a shortage of available mental health therapists to meet the needs of our students,” said Kramer. “This service not only helps to provide access but also eliminates the travel time that increases the amount of time students miss school.

“The role of a schoolbased therapist is to help students who have a mental health diagnosis that interferes with success at school, at home, or both,” he added. The district has also added behavioral, social, and emotional instruction into the core teaching in the elementary school. A middle school class was also added this year for social and emotional development. Area businesses also participate in “High Five Fridays,” greeting elementary students with high fives as they arrive at school.

Susan Oehlertz, elementary Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) teacher, wrote a grant that has placed 80-inch interactive TVs in four

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