EAST QUOGUE, NY — The East Quogue Union Free School District was awarded a grant to help tackle mental wellness.

The district was awarded the New York State Recover from COVID School Programs Mental Health Grant, totaling $663,180 over two years, which will allow the district to significantly enhance the support and opportunities available to students, school officials said.

The grant funds will be allocated directly to benefit students and school community in areas including a therapy dog, potentially starting in school every day in January 2025; WILD Cats, or Connection Adventure Team, summer camp and field trips; behavior analysis parent workshops; teacher professional development; a wellness club; Chromebooks with licenses; club supplies; Macbooks; club coordinators, social-emotional books; translation phone services; and salary for the school social worker and part of a psychologist

The New York State enacted budget for that NY State fiscal year 2022 to 2023 provided $100 million to districts over a two-year period to establish the 2023 to 2025 New York Recover COVID School Programs Grants, or RECOV, the district said. Initially, the district applied for two grants, one addressing learning loss and the other focusing on mental health.

“We are excited about the positive impact these initiatives will have on our students’ mental health and overall well-being,” Superintendent of Schools/Principal Michael Miller said. “Thank you to everyone involved for their hard work and dedication in securing this grant and for their ongoing commitment to our students’ success.”