Brain Health Retreat Rooms

Brain Health Retreat Rooms (BHRR) launched on January 18, 2022 for students at Dubuque Senior and Hempstead High School thanks to funding sources from Debi and Andy Butler and collaboration with several other local businesses and non-profits. In 2023 another BHRR opened on the Alta Vista Campus. All three rooms are staffed by a licensed counselor and provide a space for students to learn self-regulation strategies, strengthen a relationship with school staff, and give a student a chance to gain some control.

This has been an in-depth process with the Dubuque Community School District, Foundation for Dubuque Public Schools, Debi and Andy Butler, and Brain Health Now. We love hearing the impact these spaces and the people behind them, have on our community of students, staff, and schools. Students are able to go into this room, have the noise quieted, and take a quick break to learn some new strategies. This allows for students to stay in the building and ready for learning every day.

Outdoor Adventures Field Experiences

Outdoor Adventures in the Dubuque Community School District will provide every student in grades PreK-8th grade an opportunity to explore a local park, nature preserve, museum, and/or nature center as part of their science curriculum. Students’ visits to these outdoor places enhance their learning while instilling environmental consciousness, fostering a sense of responsibility towards nature, and promoting active engagement in grade-level standards.  

Outdoor Adventures provides standards-aligned, engaging experiences for all students and gives students the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of Science.  Research shows improved emotional, intellectual, and behavioral development when outdoor education is incorporated, which can strengthen a love for learning and build confidence when applying knowledge from the classroom to real-life situations outdoors.  

This is a School Board-approved program, and is provided for all students in the school district, at no cost to families or the school, making it the only field experience that some of our schools are able to go on.  In addition, there is a focus on local environmental education, as research shows that children have to see and be in a place to become engaged environmental citizens.  Going to Swiss Valley, EB Lyons, the Mines of Spain, National Mississippi River Museum, Proving Grounds, Miracle League Park, and local parks shows students how science can be applied to that area, as well as how to care for it and “leave it better than they found it”.   

Open Closets for Students in Need

Schools are increasingly implementing policies not only to educate children, but to deliver programs that meet the non-academic needs of students, including health and brain health awareness. Some of our students have food insecurities and may not have the resources for basic hygiene.

With an increase in students qualifying for free and/or reduced lunch and families working multiple jobs to support their children, we have worked with our community of donors, the Dubuque Community School District, and Northeast Iowa Community College to open the DCSD Open Closet and Food Pantry located at NICC’s downtown center.

This space allows for families and school staff to receive the items needed to ensure our students have access to things that often impact school attendance and engagement. We also support Senior High School’s Giving Room and Hempstead High School’s Care Closet, to reach even more students in the community.