The Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) is once again the proud recipient of a nearly $100,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) as part of its continued COVID-19 Vaccination Community Outreach initiative. The District was awarded similar grant funding in April 2021 to promote health equity and improve vaccine access. The most recent award allows the District to continue its efforts which include hosting COVID vaccine clinics and providing accurate vaccine information to marginalized or underserved populations.

The OASD is the only school district in the state to receive the grant, with a total of $8.1 million grant funds distributed in the second grant cycle. As a result of its established communication and engagement efforts, the OASD is uniquely qualified to conduct culturally competent outreach to marginalized populations in the Oshkosh community, including people of color, economically disadvantaged, households with disabilities, and non-English speaking households. This unique outreach initiative aligns with the District’s commitments to all means all, equity, and cultural responsiveness.

“We know that the health of families and our entire community impacts our students’ ability to be in school,” said  Linda Pierron, OASD Director of Special Education and the designated administrator of the community outreach grant. “It is an honor to serve Oshkosh in this way and we are excited to see our efforts continue.”

The OASD will continue its comprehensive community education campaign to foster greater understanding and improve vaccine access. A variety of tactics, including one-on-one support, is being used to overcome barriers facing many marginalized populations. Misinformation, mistrust, scheduling challenges, child care, language, transportation, and digital literacy are just a few of the barriers the OASD is addressing in order to better serve those in need amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information is available online at oshkosh.k12.wi.us/covid-vaccine-outreach. 

Pursuing this grant opportunity was a collective effort within the OASD, spearheaded by special education and English as a Second Language staff members. The following OASD staff members were key advocates of the initiative; and will serve as managers of the grant: Julie Ruck, OASD special education support teacher and Yessra Sankari, OASD ESOL Multicultural Outreach Coordinator. The District will continue to work in partnership with numerous organizations to expand its reach. More information about the grant program and other recipients is available from the Wisconsin DHS (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/news/releases/120921.htm).