WESTMINSTER, Vt. – As summer winds down to its finish and the new academic year ramps up, the atmosphere at Kurn Hattin Homes (KHH) is filled with high expectations, optimism, and hope for the children who live and learn on its campus.
Before the children returned to begin a new academic year, a lot had to happen. For example, each Kurn Hattin staff member was tasked with successfully completing a three-hour safety and awareness mandated reporter training program created by KidSafe Collaborative and administered through the Vermont Agency of Human Services.
A great deal of staff preparation took place on campus during Training Week 2024, an entire week dedicated to the training and retraining of new and returning Kurn Hattin Homes staff. Teachers, counselors, residential staff, administrators, dining services members, health services members, maintenance and grounds crew members, and other personnel reviewed policies and procedures. Challenging topics included self-harm and bullying, daily processes surrounding vehicle protocol, updated technologies, a reinvigorated communications initiative, and a review of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. PBIS is a learning framework that utilizes an acknowledgment system to reinforce positive behavior as it happens, and helps children understand how their behavior impacts others.
Training Week is also a special opportunity for staff members to come together from all areas of the campus, get to know each other better, share thoughts and ideas, and learn more about the roles and responsibilities of their colleagues.
Mark Bodin, president of the Kurn Hattin Homes Board of Trustees and president of the Savings Bank of Walpole, addressed the group at the launch of Training Week and asked, “What makes today the greatest day?”
Bodin explained, “During Training Week, anything is possible. It’s a time to ask ourselves how we can be exceptional and do amazing things for the kids. It’s a time to be reminded that we should never stop striving to achieve our best. It’s a time to think about our goals for the coming year, and about the children who will have a new beginning when they make Kurn Hattin their home.”
Bodin concluded his remarks with one more question, “How many people do you know who can go to work every day and know they can change someone’s life?”
As Kurn Hattin Homes executive director Steve Harrison brought Training Week to a successful conclusion, he shared an important message. He said, “We are responsible for upholding high standards and consistent patterns of good behavior, civility, and respect in a nurturing fashion. Let’s model it so that the children can understand it and repeat it.”