One of the core tenets of City Connects is that every student deserves support, not just those who traditionally draw the attention of teachers and administrators. Every student can benefit from being seen, known, and supported.
St. Peter Lutheran School Coordinator Raquel Konja embodies this ethos because she can genuinely empathize with her students.
“I grew up not always having the most resources, so helping students who are silently struggling is really important to me,” Konja added.
St Peter Lutheran is located in North Judson, Indiana, a small, agrarian town. Connecting students to such supports has sometimes demanded resourcefulness from Konja. North Judson has a population of less than 2,000, and St. Peter Lutheran has an enrollment of approximately 150 students (pre-K through eighth grade). Students commute from three different counties.
“I have received nothing but great feedback and observed phenomenal work from Raquel,” said Program Manager Marilyn Garrison. “She does not hesitate to go above and beyond for students to make sure they are receiving services and programs that are tailored to their needs.”
Konja is making a significant impact, thanks to her connections within the school, which enable her to collaborate with teachers and other administrators to ensure that every student receives proper support for their strengths and needs.
“I have learned that teachers are my eyes and ears,” Konja said. “By collaborating with them throughout the year, they can help me look at each student across all four domains. Once we identify [the students’] strengths and needs, we can use their strengths to overcome challenges by providing them with the skill-building they need to continue to learn and grow.”
One of the key elements of City Connects is the Whole Class Review. To conduct this review, Coordinators meet with teachers and discuss every student, reviewing their strengths, needs, and interests. The Whole Class Review helps schools better support the whole child across all four domains — academics, social-emotional wellbeing, family, and health — that City Connects supports. It also helps give a voice to students who may be “silently struggling.”
From there, a personalized and tailored plan is created to provide each student with opportunities to learn and thrive.
Examples of these supports include an afterschool art class or resources to alleviate food insecurity, health issues, or homelessness. The Coordinator discusses an individualized plan with a student’s family before finalizing the recommendations and implementing the plan by linking students to a tailored set of school- and community resources.
Talking with community partners, families, teachers, and students is part of what makes Konja so successful in her role. A teacher and former colleague of Konja’s said that Konja “communicates well with school staff, as well as parents. Her compassionate, gentle nature allows her to develop positive connections with students. She is a true team player and steps up to assist in any situation.”
That compassion helps her find creative solutions for student support within the rural landscape of North Judson. Konja has been able to connect her students to online learning programs, as well as leverage local resources.
“After completing the Whole-Class Review process, Raquel noticed that there was a significant number of students identified as struggling (academically),” said Garrison. “Raquel met with her principal and suggested a reading intervention program on the computer. She would oversee the students’ work two to three days a week for 20 to 30 minutes, that way the principal would not have to worry about finding another staff member to plug in during that time. They were able to get the students started on the intervention. Eight weeks later, the students showed progress that hinted that the program was working. It was a win for all.”
From working with administrators to support students academically, to ensuring access to basic needs like food and clothing, to opening up doors of opportunity in the arts or sports, Konja ensures that every child in her school is known and seen. By giving a voice to those who may not feel they have one, she is opening opportunities for them that will resonate throughout their lives and creating a brighter future for her entire community.
