Case Study: Marshall County School District
Building Sustainable Mental Health Support for Staff & Students
Background
Marshall County School District is a close-knit community located in rural West Kentucky.
Like many districts, the impact of the pandemic has left many students struggling with their social skill development and grappling with mental health challenges, including low self-esteem, anxiety, and self-harm ideation and behaviors.
The Vision
Recognizing the need for a consistent, district-wide approach to address mental health issues among students, Marshall County set out to create both a culture and programs that would foster a supportive environment and ensure comprehensive Tier 2 support for all students.
The district knew the key to system-wide change was empowering their own staff to train additional school counselors and mental health staff to lead programs, ensuring sustainability and longevity without reliance on external vendors.
To achieve this vision of empowering their staff and supporting more students, the district needed a partner who could provide rigorous in-person training to build the capacity of their school counselors and mental health staff in the short-term, while simultaneously planning to hand over training responsibility to the district team in the long-term.
Finally, they wanted to support the mental health of the counselors themselves, recognizing the importance of their wellbeing in providing effective support to students.
Supporting Staff & Student Mental Health & Wellbeing
That’s where Live Big Community came in. We immersed ourselves in the Marshall County community by meeting with school staff, attending student-led events, and hosting staff wellbeing mixers and information sessions.
We also facilitated a pilot program with a group of high school students so that counselors could observe a Live Big Community program in action and assess its potential impact.
This groundwork helped us understand the unique needs and culture of the district, get feedback from staff who would be involved in the program, and generate excitement among those who would be participating in the training.
Next, we launched Guide Training for a group of counselors across elementary, middle, and high schools.
Over the course of five in-person training days spread throughout the year, the “Guides” delved deep to learn the research-based concepts covered by the curriculum, as well as how to customize the lessons to support the unique needs of their students.
Guides were also provided with access to our on-demand training platform and curriculum resources, further supporting their ongoing efforts.
The early success of the first group of trained Guides generated enthusiasm across the district and we launched a second cohort of Guide Training shortly thereafter.
Using a train-the-trainer approach, two of the Guides went on to receive additional training to become Marshall County Staff Trainers so that all future Guides will be trained directly by the district.
This approach lowers training costs in the long-term and ensures the program’s scalability and sustainability.
The Impact
The impact of Live Big Community’s partnership with Marshall County has been profound. Guides are successfully using the Live Big curriculum in elementary, middle, and high schools.
The language and concepts from Live Big programs are becoming a natural part of student conversations with peers, school counselors, and teachers. This shared language has strengthened the connections between counselors and students, enhancing the overall mentorship and support system.
Counselors have reported a reduced need for one-on-one support for students who participated in Live Big program groups, giving them time to reach students who may have otherwise flown under the radar.
Relationships between school staff and students have significantly improved. School counselors are not only more connected to their students but also benefit personally from the Live Big Community curriculum.
The trained staff have gained confidence, resilience, and self-leadership skills, which have enriched both their professional and personal lives.
Marshall County School District’s journey with Live Big Community is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision and the right support.
The future looks promising, with a strong foundation in place for continued growth and a positive impact on student mental health and wellbeing.
Students Improved Mental Health Skills
This self-assessed student data is from small group counseling programs at Marshall County elementary and middle schools led by school counselors who were trained as part of the Live Big Guide staff training program and used the Live Big Community Curriculum
68%
Students averaged a 68% increase across social-emotional skills
67%
Students averaged a 67% increase in self-efficacy & confidence skills
85%
Students averaged an 85% increase in self-regulation & resilience skills
56%
Students averaged a 56% increase in self-observation skills
70%
Students averaged a 70% increase in self-leadership skills
Marshall County Students Share Why They Joined Live Big Community Programs
What the Marshall County Staff Says…
“Live Big has been the most impactful and engaging program for our students. The curriculum is very relevant and constantly adapting to the needs of our students. Live Big is committed to setting our district on the path to self-sustain the program through training and development of our staff.”
Dr. Steve Miracle, Former Superintendent
Marshall Country School District, Kentucky
