In 2021, Regional Office of Education No. 47 launched the Nexus program, a community-centered initiative to support families in crisis and to strengthen schools across Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties.
Now entering its fourth year, Nexus continues to make an impact in 19 of the region’s 24 school districts, offering personalized assistance to families navigating complex challenges.
At its core, Nexus aims to “support the whole child by supporting the whole family,” as stated in its mission. Through trauma-informed systems, family case management, home visits and referrals using the IRIS referral system, Nexus offers a bridge between families and resources in the community that they may not otherwise access, local officials said.
The idea for Nexus started out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sterling Mayor Diana Merdian, who also works for the ROE and helped design and launch the program, said many traditional family support programs end when a child turns 5.
“Those challenges that families are facing, they don’t go away once the kid turns 5,” Merdian said. “So we decided that we would create this program where we would continue to support families until they aged out of school.”
Michelle Sanders, now the student and family service coordinator, joined the program in its early days and helped shape its policies. The program initially was led by Merdian, and the two eventually swapped roles.
“Diana is a huge part of Nexus and why we have it,” Sanders said.
Nexus operates on a fee-for-service model, with school districts paying per student based on fall enrollment. When a family in a participating district needs help that exceeds what school staff can manage, they are referred to Nexus.
“There’s only so many hours in a day with regard to the school day, and the staff are inundated with so many responsibilities already,” Sanders said. “So Nexus comes in when they receive a referral, and we support that family.”
The types of support vary widely.
“It could be anything big or small,” Sanders said. “Something as large as ‘We’re getting evicted and we need to find housing’ or as simple as helping with a Medicaid application.”
Families also can initiate services by contacting the Nexus team directly if they belong to a participating school district. The program is staffed by Sanders and four family support specialists who work with families on goal-setting, navigating services and connecting with available resources.
Despite its success, Nexus faces some limitations. It is not an Illinois State Board of Education-funded program and lacks the financial capacity to directly cover costs such as rent or utility deposits. Instead, the team connects families to agencies that can.
“Our job is kind of that middleman,” Sanders said. “We support the family and get them connected to those resources that can further help them.”
What sets Nexus apart is its focus on nonjudgmental, flexible and responsive care. Merdian recalled becoming a notary public simply because a family needed a notarized birth certificate but lacked transportation.
“We try to eliminate as many barriers as we can,” Merdian said.
Both Merdian and Sanders highlighted the importance of community support, from local donations for holiday gifts to pantry items delivered directly to families.
“We often deliver food baskets from a food pantry or hygiene items … or paperwork that needs to go wherever it needs to go,” Sanders said.
One key to the program’s success is the IRIS system, a digital referral tool that ensures closed-loop communication between Nexus and school staff.
“It’s more of a warm handoff” rather than the outdated method of sending forms home with students, Sanders said.
Although the support Nexus provides is extensive, participation is always voluntary.
“We cannot force them to participate or to follow through,” Sanders said. “If they come back to us … we’ll start all over again. And that’s OK.”
In the last school year alone, Nexus worked with almost 230 families. The program has drawn attention from across the state and country for its innovative model.
“The ISBE has recognized the good work that this program does,” Merdian said. “At its core, the program is about nonjudgmental support.”
Even skeptics have become advocates. Sanders recalled a superintendent who initially doubted the program, calling it “way too big.” But after the first year, that same superintendent became one of Nexus’ strongest supporters.
The program’s goal remains simple: to be there without judgment for families, whenever they are ready.
“This is their life,” Merdian said. “We’re just there to support them.”