Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) is leveraging resources with partners in the medical and business communities to serve the unique needs and abilities of students in innovative ways that will transcend the traditional school environment. WCPS, together with Meritus Health and other partners, is excited to announce the launch of Landon’s Project, an initiative to provide immediate services to students who need collaborative medical and educational intervention in a school setting.

“All of our community’s children deserve to learn in an environment that provides the necessary supports and resources where students can thrive and grow their abilities,” says Dr. David Sovine, Superintendent of Schools. “Washington County is so fortunate to have educational, medical, and business organizations willing and determined to come together for the pursuit of helping our unique learners realize their full potential. This approach will give these students and our community a brighter future.”

Landon’s Project will be located at the former Funkstown Elementary School and will be available as a system-wide resource to any student enrolled in WCPS. The program aims to provide immediate interventions for students who would benefit from joint medical and educational services. The initiative will also ensure schools have sensory and adaptive resources to meet a broad range of student needs.

Landon’s Project is the namesake of Landon Smith, grandson to Benito Vattelana, one of the community partners who spearheaded the initiative. “When Landon was initially diagnosed with autism, there was a lot of uncertainty in what the future held for him,” Vattelana explains. “As our family has navigated this journey, we have found that the right supports and strategies specifically suited for Landon helped him discover incredible abilities and talents. It made me wonder how many other Landons are in our community who need this same adaptive care.”

The endeavor is a public/private partnership, one that will require private donor support to initiate the program and secure public funding over time. The Landon’s Project Advisory Board members are committed to collectively leveraging their respective areas of expertise to realize the vision of Landon’s Project, recognizing the initiative will benefit all members of the Washington County community.

WCPS will share a public presentation with a deeper look at Landon’s Project during the Board of Education’s work session on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. The meeting will begin at 3:00 p.m. at the Center for Education Services.The discussion can also be viewed online at youtube.com/wcpsmd and facebook.com/wcpsmd as well as Channel 99 for Antietam Broadband cable subscribers.