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Boardman school officials unveil "The Living Room"
BOARDMAN
Middle-school students now have a new space designed to meet needs that extend beyond the academic.
School officials Friday unveiled the “Living Room” at Center Middle School on Market Street. The room is a newly refurbished classroom that will serve as a place for counseling services and enrichment opportunities.
“This last year we were seeing a number of students who were dealing with some very adult situations outside of school that were affecting their life at school,” said Randy Ebie, principal at Center.
“We’re dealing with a couple of students who were sexually abused. We have students living in households where addiction is a problem,” he said, adding that he also sees more cases of students abusing substances at a young age.
In addition to difficult situations in their personal lives, Ebie says students are dealing with more stress than ever at school.
“If we’re going to have such high standards, we better be increasing our support,” he said.
To deal with those issues, school officials came up with the idea for the Living Room, which they view as a “safe haven” and an “escape.”
Larry Moliterno, a township trustee and head of Meridian Community Care, arranged for three of his staff members to work with students, at no cost to the school district. Students at Center and Glenwood will have access to two clinical counselors and a social worker, who will provide professional staff development and prevention presentations for students, as well as counseling services for students and families.
When the room is not in use for counseling services, teachers can reserve it for enrichment opportunities.
School officials imagined the room as a comfortable setting, and did not want it to look like a classroom.
Thanks to donations from Home Carpet Co. and Ethan Allen, the room is outfitted with a couch, cushy chairs, a coffee table and carpeted floors.
It also features a fireplace, bookshelf, mural of a beach scene, pictures of students and inspirational quotes painted on the walls.
Although the room has a specific purpose, Ebie said he wants it to be an inclusive place for all students.
“I don’t want it to be a room for ‘those’ students, where they’re tagged and labeled,” he said. “I want this to be a room for all kids.”