Marietta Student Life Center (MSLC) at Marietta City Schools (MCSD) in Marietta, Georgia, embodies the district’s mission: “to serve every student and every need.” In an area grappling with poverty and homelessness, MCSD is committed to ensuring that every child has the support they need to succeed, regardless of life’s challenges. 

About the Marietta Student Life Center 

In 2015, MCSD identified a need for a place where high school students could get comprehensive support during critical years. The vision was a center that not only provided academic learning but also addressed real-world barriers that often derail success. Over 20 local and state agencies partnered with MCSD and former Director Rona Roberts to create the MSLC, located on the high school campus. The center serves all students and families in the district, providing services related to housing, job skills, college admission support, tutoring, a food pantry, life skills training, and counseling. 

The Center also offers extended services such as emergency funds for temporary housing, transportation, meals, and a place for teen moms to access free baby clothes. At-risk students receive behavioral support and help with social-emotional issues like anxiety, stress, and depression. 

The Challenge 

While the MSLC’s mission and services had already transformed many lives, Roberts realized in 2017 that they needed a robust student information system (SIS) to organize and track student data and progress effectively. “To facilitate the extensive collaboration and coordination needed among school staff and community partners, and to handle the security issues and the complexity of the wraparound services we provided, we needed a SIS that did not yet exist,” Roberts explained. 

“The system I envisioned would offer complete safety and security for a student’s social-emotional needs. And with this system, we would have immediate access to all the pieces that make that student ours, so we can give them the care they need to help them succeed.” 

The Solution 

Leveraging the existing partnership between Follett and MCSD, Roberts and her team collaborated with Follett Aspen® Student Information System software engineers to create a customized system. “Using input from school counselors and administrators, my team outlined protocols for student referrals to the MSLC,” Roberts said. The protocols were shared with developers to create a customized MSLC platform in Aspen. 

Over eight months, the MSLC team worked closely with Follett to develop the capacity within Aspen to meet their needs. They needed to document student access to services easily and reduce communication bottlenecks. The focus was on strengthening ties among school personnel, parents, and community service providers to create an integrated support network for students. 

The Results 

The MSLC Platform in Aspen is now an invaluable tool, enabling referrals based on behavior indicating a need for support rather than discipline. “On a macro level, the information gathered from MSLC referrals shows how we respond to students’ voices in terms of response time, the number of students referred, the number accessing services, and team member case ownership and resolution,” Roberts said. “On a micro level, we can gather information on individual students by assessing needs, care coordination, evaluation, and referrals for services.” 

Due to the attention to detail in developing the customized Aspen platform, all students – even those who might have fallen through the cracks – receive the individualized support they need to succeed in college and beyond. “Using the MSLC features in Aspen, multiple staff members can view the whole student by accessing robust data that includes academic performance, attendance, discipline, 504/IEP, and social-emotional learning support,” Roberts added. 

Harveste, a student from the class of 2019, testified to the center’s impact: “The Life Center provides family, support, love, and an understanding of community. They say that ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and the Marietta Student Life Center embodies just that.” 

Sean, another student, shared, “At the MSLC, people listened to my story without judging me. They provided me with therapists and resources to help with my problems and classes to help with the SAT and ACT. This center has helped me through many obstacles.” 

As the center grows, it relies more on Aspen to support programs and illustrate its needs and services. “The best part of our customized Aspen is knowing we’re able to support every student and every family. As we grow and change, so does Aspen. It’s an invaluable tool we can’t live without, and it makes our center better every day,” Roberts said. 

For more information on how Follett Software can support your district, visit Follett Software.