Wraparound Waltham

Leveraging in-school and out-of-school resources for newcomer Spanish-speaking students and families

Wraparound Waltham is a multi-agency initiative of educators and service providers, collaborating to create a community of belonging and opportunity for Spanish-speaking newcomer immigrant students and their families. Wraparound Waltham leverages in-school and out-of-school supports, addressing needs such as food, housing, transportation; linguistic and social inclusion; school engagement; academic progress; and access to mental health care.

Program components include:

Welcome Class

Co-taught during the school day in Spanish, this multi-week class is led by WPY Wraparound Coordinators and Waltham Public Schools staff. Students build relationships with peers and adults while learning about school and community resources. The Welcome Class is currently offered at Waltham High School and both of Waltham’s middle schools (McDevitt and Kennedy Middle Schools).

Academic Case Management

The Waltham High School Academic Case Manager is a Waltham Public Schools educator who conducts regular check-ins with Welcome Class newcomer students, prioritizing those who are at risk academically, behaviorally, and/or attendance-wise. Check-ins often lead to the development of individual goals and strategies, school-based referrals for tutoring, counseling, academic support, etc.

Non-Academic Resources

WPY Wraparound Coordinators conduct needs assessments with Welcome Class students to learn about their interests, goals, and unmet needs, including access to food, housing, healthcare, etc. Through this process, coordinators enable students to access needed school and community resources, while building impactful relationships with trusted adults.

Mental Health Support

Coordinated by WPY staff, we offer group and individual therapy for newcomer students, provided by our grant-funded clinical partners, Children’s Charter and Doc Wayne Youth Services.

Welcome Center

A bilingual welcoming space and referral hub dedicated to supporting newcomer immigrant families with children in the Waltham Public Schools district. WPY and Waltham Public Schools staff provide culturally sensitive support in Spanish, helping families access basic needs and services via 1-1 meetings and community events.

Our Key Partners

“Les agradezco mucho por hablarnos en español. De una u otra manera, saben cómo ayudar a las familias,
y si no saben, trabajan en llegar a la respuesta.”

“I thank you very much for speaking to us in Spanish. One way or another, you know how to help families, and if you don’t, you work on finding an answer.”

– Welcome Center Client