Community meeting planned

The community is invited to a meeting Aug. 8 to learn about Wickliffe Schools’ new Family Resource Center.

Superintendent Joseph Spiccia said the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the center and how it will benefit the schools and the community.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in Wickliffe High School’s cafeteria.

There will be several speakers, including Spiccia, Director of Strategic Innovation Julie Ramos, Wickliffe Fire Chief James Powers, Lake County

Health District Commissioner Ron Graham and Lake County ADAMHS Board Executive Director Kim Fraser.

In April, the district received $250,000 from the state’s capital budget to build a Family Resource Center.

“The concept of having a center of this nature began four years ago and has included the completion of a feasibility study, which was also funded by a $35,000 grant from the Local Government Innovation Fund, and a study of other centers of this nature throughout Ohio and in other states,” Spiccia said.

The school board recently approved plans for the center.

Spiccia says the center will provide educational programming, healthcare and social services to students, families and the local community.

Some of the specific services that will be offered are:

• Early and adult literacy

• Completion of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) forms • Tax clinics • Financial literacy • Workforce development • Screening clinics • Vaccination clinics • Flu shots • Basic health needs • Referrals • Counseling for children, adolescents and adults • Housing services • Dry goods and emergency needs

The center will be staffed by local agencies including staff from Health District, Crossroads, Beacon Health and Lake Health.