Past Training Information

Our experience and feedback from instructors and students indicate that most students need to have a strong motivation to look for and/or attend "things" outside of what is required in the curriculum for many reasons.

• Suggestion:  Include learning strategies in your curriculum.   

  • • Workshops.  Support Services is available to provide workshops in person and online in your class or outside of class time.  We are working to provide some workshops with free food for lunch when possible. 

    • Videos.  Work with Support Services to create videos addressing the strategies you want shared. Put the link to the video into Blackboard and require that students watch and answer associated questions.

We know how important tutoring can be for students.  We also know that there can be many reasons why a student does not attend tutoring - anxiety, no time due to a job and family responsibilities, other classes overlapping tutoring hours, etc.  Below are suggestions about encouraging tutoring sessions.

• Syllabus.  Put tutoring information into the syllabus with information about times/locations, etc. 

• Reminders. Beginning in the first week of class, regularly remind the students of the benefits of personalized support through in-person (when appropriate) and online tutoring services to increase grades and academic success.

• Provide a supportive environment.  Some students believe that accessing tutoring says negative things about who they are and what they are able to do.  Create a non-stigmatizing environment that encourages the students to use their resources, including tutor services. 

• Integrate tutoring into the curriculum:  When possible, provide a weekly group tutoring session for the students that you attend.

• Personal referrals.  Reach out to struggling students and strongly suggest attending tutoring sessions. 

• Assist.  Offer to help the students access Tutor.com.  Have them come to your office, sign on to their Blackboard, and take them through making the connection.

• Refer.  Provide information to students who are struggling and to the class about Support Services Learning Strategies' Connect with a Coach program.  While it does not provide tutoring on subject matter, it does work with them on learning strategies in ways that match their learning styles.

• Workshops.  Connect with Support Services to arrange a workshop on time management, study skills, test preparation, and test-taking.  These can be done during your class time or as a Lunch-n-Learn.  

For a student to receive accommodations in college, her/his disability must meet the definition of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The ADA §12102.18 defines a disability in relation to an individual as: 

• “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life  activities of such individual,  

• a record of such impairment, or  

• being regarded as having such an impairment.” 

This impairment must have been present for at least 6 months and is not transitory

We understand that some physical or mental health conditions that qualify as temporary (e.g., broken leg, surgery, COVID, death of major person) may cause impairment in a student's college performance.   When this happens, a student can provide documentation of the condition to Support Services - Disability Services' Office and receive temporary accommodations.  The Temporary Accommodation Letter has an expiration date.  

De-escalation is an important skill.  It also can be a difficult thing to do.  The reasons that a student is "acting up" can be several things including mental health issues, bullying or being bullied.  

Support Services provides a de-escalation training for individuals and groups.  Contact us to set up a training.   access@pierpont.edu   304-534-7878

Postventions are any follow-ups that are done in relation to preventions and interventions.  They mirror those available for Interventions and depend upon what the issue was. 

• Pierpont: Counseling Center (services provided at no charge). 

• Pierpont:  Support Services' Disability Services.  

• Pierpont:  Support Services' Learning Strategies (time management, study skills, test-taking, stress management).

• Pierpont:  Support Services' Pierpont's Parents' Place (supporting students raising children, connection with possible financial help).

• Pierpont: Tutoring (in-person or online), Financial Aid.

• Pierpont:  Anything you, as a faculty member, can do to continue to provide support to the student. 

-Support Services can be reached at Room 121 Advanced Technology Center and is available by phone & text 304-534-7878 and email access@pierpont.edu Monday through Friday 8-4:00 when Pierpont is open.

• National: 988 Suicide and crisis line (24/7).

• Community Resources: There are handouts of community resources (i.e., food banks, homeless shelters, mental & physical health) available for each of Pierpont's 13 counties on Support Services' Student Life Resources website.      

  • • • www.pierpont.edu > Current Students > Counseling Center > scroll down to and click on Student Resources > Click on Student Resources Info.  

For more information about the specific scenarios, check the handout provided during the workshop, which is attached beneath the PowerPoint above.  

For additional information contact Support Services.

• Title IX:  At this time, all faculty and staff except those associated with the Counseling Center, are required to report any incidents of sexual discrimination in their programs or activities including sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, relationship abuse (intimate partner violence, dating violence, domestic violence), sexual misconduct and gender discrimination. 

• Mental health issues, suicidality & violence:  While faculty and staff are not legally mandated to report possible mental health issues or violence, Pierpont's policy is that those issues should be reported to the CARE Team (on Pierpont's website, under Resources, CARE Report Form) &/or to the Counseling Center (access@pierpont.edu, 304-534-7878) to facilitate appropriate referrals.  If violence is imminent (for the person [suicide] or others) call 911.

• FERPA and confidentiality:  While FERPA provides certain rights to students in relation to their education records, it does not prevent sharing information with other school officials with legitimate interests.  This includes the CARE Team and the Counseling Center. 

With these things in mind, faculty and staff should not 

promise confidentiality to a student.  

The following information was provided by Pierpont's Human Resources Department.

• PEIA :  If the employee has the insurance, PEIA provides several wellness tools. Examples are Face-to-face Diabetes Management Program, weight management program, tobacco cessation program, ect.  https://peia.wv.gov/wellness_tools/Pages/default.aspx

• All One Health: This program is provided by Pierpont and is available to covered employees, their household members and their dependents.  It offers access to confidential, live, in-the-moment support. Services such as Mental Health Counselling, Life Coaching, Legal and Financial Recourses, Personal Concierge, and Medical Advocacy are all available 24/7. 

  • • • To access the services, go to the website www.mylifeexpert.com.  Click on "sign up."  Then use the code ptccollege to create an account.  There are links for a self-help portal, child and eldercare consultation, work-life resources and referral, and legal and financial consultation.     

      • For more information, connect with Pierpont's Human Resource Department at the Advanced Technology Center (304-534-7887). There are 2 handouts below this section. 

Support Services' Campus-Wide Mental Health Initiative group initiated a Wellness Program for students, faculty, and staff.  Things available can include yoga classes and walking groups.  Look for posters on your campus. 

For more information or to share ideas as to how we can support the health of our Pierpont community, contact Support Services.