Community Care

June 2026

PTS CC team served 206 families, 769 individuals during 2025-26 school year

PHOENIX — The Phoenix-Talent School District’s Community Care program provided critical support to students and families across the district during the 2025-26 school year, helping address basic needs, connect families to services and strengthen student well-being through a network of partnerships and targeted interventions.

Led by Director of Community Care and Early Learning Kelly Soter, the Community Care team includes Community Care Specialists Katie McCormick, Laura Millette and Nuvia Pineda. Together, the team completed 933 referrals during the school year, connecting students and families with resources ranging from food assistance and mental health services to housing support, crisis intervention and school-based counseling.

The team’s work reached families throughout the district. Through monthly Community Care Corner events, staff served 206 families, representing 769 individuals. The program also partnered with ACCESS to provide 3,782 Rogue Power Pack food bags to students at the district’s three elementary schools.

Community Care staff provided crisis intervention and support services to 62 families during the school year and referred 41 students to community mental health providers for counseling services. The program also supported schools in addressing absenteeism and provided assistance to families experiencing housing instability through McKinney-Vento services.

Additional support efforts included distributing 45 food bags to families during Thanksgiving and providing Christmas gifts to 79 students through the Community Care Secret Santa program. A partnership with Walmart and the First Phoenix Community Center helped secure a $3,000 donation of new clothing and shoes for students in need.

The Community Care team also expanded access to health and wellness resources. McCormick and Pineda became certified Oregon Health Plan assisters, helping families navigate health coverage options. Through the Read-Talk-Play program, the district offered 91 free parent-and-child classes for children ages 0 to 5.

At the secondary level, Community Care staff supported prevention and early intervention efforts. A total of 283 students were screened through the SBIRT program, which helps identify and address behavioral health concerns. At Phoenix High School, 73 of 170 students screened were referred for follow-up support, while 24 of 113 students screened at Talent Middle School were referred for additional services.

The district’s impact was strengthened through partnerships with organizations including ACCESS, La Clinica, the Maslow Project, Southern Oregon Early Learning Services, Jackson Care Connect, Girls on the Run and numerous local service organizations. During the year, the Community Care team also helped facilitate a $15,000 Oregon Community Foundation grant to support Girls on the Run programs in Jackson County, helping ensure the program remains free and accessible to participants.

The data reflects a broad need for support services throughout the district. While 22 percent of referrals came from McKinney-Vento families, 78 percent came from families not identified as experiencing housing instability, demonstrating that challenges affecting student success extend across the school community. Of the families served, 72 percent identified English as their home language and 28 percent identified Spanish as their home language.

Through direct services, community partnerships and early intervention efforts, the Phoenix-Talent School District’s Community Care program continued to remove barriers to learning and provide students and families with the support needed to thrive.