The Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District (DSISD) and Bay College recently partnered to host a meeting for the Task Force for Community Well-Being, which focuses on improving various aspects of the community through different groups. (Photo courtesy of Kristina Hansen)

ESCANABA – The Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District (DSISD) and Bay College have collaborated to host a meeting for the Task Force for Community Well-Being.

The task force focuses on improving many different aspects of the community, stated Kristina Hansen, DSISD superintendent. Hansen joined the school as superintendent this past summer.

“All of the people that are working on the task force are looking at ways to either continue projects or to start new projects that look at the well-being of the community,” said Hansen. “So that might be physical well-being, social emotional well-being, financial well-being. It really is about improving the community all around.”

The partnership between DSISD and Bay College is relatively new, Hansen noted, but it has already expanded the reach of the task force beyond the intermediate school district.

“The collaboration between Bay is getting the group out of just the ISD, but also into a bigger space like Bay College. And it also goes along with some of the work that Bay is trying to do as far as their community involvement and outreach.”

The task force recently held a meeting at Bay College on Friday, drawing about 30 participants who gathered to collaborate on various community initiatives.

“We reviewed some of the work that people have already been working on and then we started some additional groups,” said Hansen.

Several groups are currently active within the task force. One of those, called “Take the Challenge,” focuses on raising awareness about the dangers and mental impact of screen time on young people.

“The idea of ‘Take the Challenge’ is not to eliminate screen time because we recognize the world in which we live. That’s almost impossible, but it’s to reduce the screen time and also to raise awareness of the impact that screen time can have on youth.”

Another group concentrates on sustainability, examining how the task force can continue its efforts while addressing financial needs, marketing and more.

“We have a group working on implicit bias,” added Hansen. “Because we have such a large Native American population in our area, we want to make sure that we’re educating the community, educator and students about both implicit and explicit bias.”

The roots of the task force trace back to 2017, when the DSISD first contracted Jodi Pfarr, a consultant from Minnesota, to help establish a mental health task force for the community. Hansen described Pfarr as a coach and motivator.

“Just this year, we’ve decided to pivot. So, the task force has been renamed,” noted Hansen.

Pfarr travels to Escanaba every 90 days to convene the task force and guide the development of 90-day action plans. In addition, the groups participate in virtual 45-day check-ins.

“What that does is there’s an accountability piece built in there, so that people are continuing to make progress on what their group is working on.”

Hansen explained that the original focus on mental health eventually evolved as the group made progress toward its initial goals.

“Once the group kind of felt like mental health was… not tackled, but at least it had kind of met the goal of increasing availability, they decided to start looking at some other areas of need within the community,” said Hansen.

The superintendent stated the DSISD and Bay College split the costs associated with Pfarr’s travel, hotel stays and meals when she visits Escanaba, while Pfarr generously donates her time to the task force.

The task force continues to welcome new participants. The next Task Force for Community Well-Being meeting is scheduled for May 27 at Bay College. The meeting time has yet to be determined.