Canyons School District has received the prestigious Youth and Family Partnership Award from the National Center for School Mental Health.

The Center each year selects just one exemplary school district, organization or school mental health program nationwide that effectively partners with youth and families in delivering quality school mental health programming. This year’s award went to CSD Community Schools, which are located at Copperview, East Midvale, Midvale and Sandy elementary schools.

“This award is a tribute to every staff member who has been willing to work in new ways to meet student needs using CARE Teams, on-site therapists and youth development professionals,” said Karen Sterling, Director of Student Advocacy and Access for Canyons School District. She and her team were surprised with the award in an announcement at the Title I Community Schools Conference held in August 2014 at Salt Lake Community College.

The award recognizes CSD community schools, and the community partners who work with CSD to improve student achievement at Title I schools. The partners are: Valley Mental Health; Boys and Girls Club of South Valley; PLAYWorks; and the Canyons Family Learning Centers. The award also recognizes the foundational work of Ohio State University Professor Dr. Dawn Anderson-Butcher and Carol Anderson of the Utah State Office of Education, who worked to implement Community Schools as a model of School Improvement.

The national honors will be awarded to District and CSD community partners on Sept. 19, 2014 at the Center’s annual conference in Pittsburgh.

The Center for School Mental Health is located at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.