January 2025 Article

REACH Encourages Student Growth and Learning
By OMS REACH Team - Isaac Toenjes and Nate Gendron and OHS REACH Team - Katie Wanous and Matt Skala

REACH stands for Relationships, Education, Accountability, Character, and Hard Work. Lessons and team-building activities focus on these five pillars. REACH takes a holistic approach to student growth and learning—social, emotional, mental, behavioral, and academic. REACH students say it’s a safe place to go and that it’s a second family.

At Owatonna Middle School, the REACH team is Isaac Toenjes and Nate Gendron, along with nearly 60 students from 6th to 8th grade. At Owatonna High School, the REACH team is Matt Skala and Katie Wanous, with 75 students who take the elective course for the entire year, with the opportunity to take it all four years of high school. The REACH teams are composed of a teacher and social worker or counselor who collaborate to create lessons that inspire student learning and encourage attendance and engagement.

As the REACH teams, we strive to build relationships with students who are often on the defensive with their walls up and encourage them to build healthy relationships with their peers, teachers, and family. Education is important for all people, so we help reframe how the REACH students view education and their perspective of themselves in school. We believe everyone should be accountable for what they say and do, regardless of the consequences, and work with students to break habits of denial and deflection when in sticky situations.

All of the lessons are called “Character Lessons” because we focus on developing new and successful character traits they can put into use as students and in their future as adults. Working on healthy relationships, taking ownership of your education, being accountable, and becoming the best version of yourself is challenging work, hence the last pillar, Hard Work.

When everything is coming together, we get to see the great moments of success with our REACH kids. From caring for another student they previously couldn’t stand to sharing their success story at REACH Family Night, REACH students are growing to be the best they can be in so many ways.