By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
ssoldan@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD TWP — During the regular meeting on March 11, the Oxford Board of Education voted unanimously to remove the position of Executive Director of Student Services and Wellness, which was held by Todd Barlass. The position was originally created with grant funds.
“The grant funds have ended, and with his leadership and the support of his team, we have made significant progress in strengthening the district infrastructure for supporting the well-being of our students and staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Tonya Milligan.
Through Barlass’s position, the district was able to create and implement wellness programs, foster a healthier and more productive environment for staff, and put in place robust systems and processes that are sustainable and deeply integrated into the daily operations of the district, Milligan said.
“Ultimately, for a grant, the goal is to work yourself out of a job,” said Milligan. “The goal is to build capacity. Wellness lives in our schools, and we have really built the capacity in our schools. When you go in our schools, the number of supports we have for our students is really impressive, it brings me great joy to see the care and love that we have for our students, which is the only reason we can really transition this position because there is the confidence that we have the supports in place.”
Barlass will not leave the district, but will transition into a new role at Oxford Crossroads Day School, which is a specialized school designed to support adjudicated youth.
“In that position, he can also continue to support some of the wellness efforts we have at the community level,” she said. “Some of his roles will be divvied up among other people who will be able to support that work.”