The vision Aubrey ISD Director of Student Services Jewelisha Jefferson had for a community event to help district families prepare for school came to life with the Chap Link on Saturday.
Families from across the district turned out to Owens Middle School for the event, which featured sessions by area community partners as well as Aubrey ISD programs, community partner vendor tables and representatives from each campus.
'Last year was my first year in the role of director of student services, so I'm really trying to put a focus on how can we serve students and families in addition to connecting them with the community and making partnerships overall,' Jefferson said.
The Chap Link was a melding of the former Chaparral Showcase event and other area back to school events.
'This year, we added school supplies, dental health screenings, different things that can help you get ready for back to school,' Jefferson said.
Around 27 vendors came to the event. 'We even have some vendors who, though they may not be here, they definitely supported us,' Jefferson said, using Sports Clips as an example. '... They did a big financial donation for us to get us started and going.'
Mari Harrison, the director of guidance and counseling for the district, also said she was grateful for the impact of the event.
'This can be a very overwhelming time for families, especially financially,' she said. 'And so we're hoping that this even can help families with some of the supplies they need, but also with some community resources that might also help their family.'
As families filtered into the building, they received a form that gave them the chance to get free services, which included free haircuts and backpacks filled with school supplies.
In the first session room were Natasha Malone and Mark Harbec with Children's Health.
Malone informed families about the telehealth program the hospital system partners with the school district to provide.
'We offer an opportunity for you to be able to have your child sitting right at each campus,' Malone said. 'What it allows is the nurse to assess your child with your permission and if the child needs more of an assessment with our pediatric provider, we'll be able to make a doctors visit right there on campus, if they are qualified.'
Harbec shared information about the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine program, which allows students to have access to mental health services on their school campuses.
'It's incredible to break the stigma, provide more access and keep kids in school longer without having to leave campus for an off-site mental health provider appointment,' he said.
Across the hall from the competition gym, Dr. Brooke Modkins of The Smile Sanctuary Dental Group, which is for the whole family, set up shop in the theater classroom, offering free dental screenings.
'It means a lot to be in the community and help out the community,' Modkins said. 'That's literally what I wanted to be a dentist for in the first place.'
She was also happy to see how much the families appeared to benefit from her work on Saturday.
'I never knew in the amount of three minutes that people can be so informed,' Modkins said.
In addition to the campus tables, area organizations such as the Aubrey Police Department, Lovepacs, HOPE Food and Clothing Ministries, Autism Adventures, the Aubrey Education Foundation and DENCO 9-1-1 came out to connect with the families so they know about those resources as well.
School board President Jim Milacek shared that he was proud of the way the event turned out.
'This is not something that we've done for a long time, and it helps all of our families,' he said. '... This is one of the best things we can do.'
Superintendent Dr. Shannon Saylor complimented Jefferson and the team of people behind her who made the event possible.
'Since we have so many new Chaparrals that join us every year—we have at least 400 brand new families—so at least having them come in and be able to get to know each campus, all the resources that we have in Aubrey ISD to support them, I think it's a fantastic way to kick off school,' she said.
She loved, too, that families could connect with school staff and administrators like McNabb Middle School Principal Jacob Garcia and other new faces in a relaxed setting.
'Even if they've been at Meet the Teacher and have met the principal, it's a good time to have maybe one-onone conversations with the counseling group or health services,' Saylor said. 'Those tend to be packed for that one hour, but we've got this longer time that they can at least hopefully get their needs met on a Saturday.'
