MESSAGE FROM SEQUOIA HEALTHCARE DISTRICT Dear Healthy Schools Initiative (HSI) families, Wearing masks and social distancing have become the social norm and they have made our communities
Please contact your healthcare provider, doctor, clinic, or school nurse, should you have questions about the safety of the vaccine.
safer, healthier, and more tuned into protecting those
I'd like to extend a special thanks to the HSI Wellness
who are most vulnerable. Vaccines have become
Team for their coordinated efforts in their respective
increasingly available, yet they are still beyond reach
districts' re-opening process. I am extremely proud of
for far too many members of our community – a
our collaborative efforts to bring timely and relevant
health equity issue that the Sequoia Healthcare
initiatives, programming, resources, and financial
District is currently addressing. Also, there are some
support to the school community.
who are concerned about the safety of the vaccines, and SHD is one of many health organizations aiming to educate the public about the necessity of being
Karen E. Li, MD Director of School Health Healthy Schools Initiative
vaccinated with the reassurance that this will not only protect them, but their loved ones as well.
Parent Resources
Additional information to help safeguard your family and community
Substance Use Prevention
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
Stanford Prevention Toolkit: Cannabis
The Anti-Racist Parent Webinar
San Mateo COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
Cannabis Use and the Young Brain - Dr. Tauheed Zaman
Courageous Conversations About Race and Systemic Racism
Vaccine Safety Spanish Community Forum
Addiction Webinar Dr. Anna Lembke
Diversity in Healing Bandages
Vaccine Safety Vaccine PSA
The Parent Education Series
NEW Parent Forums: Spanish & English Video Library
See Something Say Something Do Something
Parent Green Folders
Spanish & English
CircleUp Trainings in Schools
NEW 24/7 Mental Health Online Resource for All County Students, School Staff & Families
Care Solace
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021 As we came upon the one year mark of distance learning
Students in distance learning, in-person learning
for the students of BRSSD, the district prepared to bring
and learning pods are participating in activities that
back about half of our students for hybrid learning.
help students learn how to interact with one
Consistent feedback heard by the counselors at Ralston
another. After a year of being isolated from friends
Middle School indicated that students, teachers, site
and the school community, students need
administrators and staff felt disconnected from their
structured activities aimed at talking to one
school community. Regardless of the learning
another.
environment - distance learning, hybrid or learning pods, the counselors knew they needed more than what the
One favorite relationship building activity is called
current social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum
Picture Prompt, in which a student chooses a box to
offered. With the generous support of the Sequoia
reveal an image. Students then use the picture to
Healthcare District’s Healthy School Initiative Grant,
inspire a quick share or story about themselves.
CharacterStrong was purchased to pilot with the goal
Students are encouraged to participate in the way
of supporting students, teachers, site administrators and
that makes them feel comfortable.
staff in reestablishing relationships and feelings of school connectedness. Ralston Middle School Counselor, Lauren Rocha, is spearheading the pilot and supporting teachers in exploring the Engage Relationally activities that can be implemented in person or online. Ralston intentionally began their pilot with the Engage Relationally pieces of the curriculum to ease the
transition into a new trimester in which every student was getting a new schedule and a new set of teachers. Besides hosting multiple mini-trainings focusing on the relationship building activities, Rocha is consistently checking in with the pilot teachers to gather feedback and decide where to go next with the curriculum.
Ralston students and staff participating in the pilot are grateful for the opportunity to finish off a unique school year strengthening their school relationships and bonds through the support of the CharacterStrong curriculum and the Sequoia
Healthcare District. They are looking forward to implementing the curriculum schoolwide in the 2021-2022 school year.
is a relevant, engaging and easy-to-use program that fosters the whole child by teaching SEL and character development side-by-side. Through the S.E.R.V.E. model, the whole school community engages in lessons and activities that strengthen school culture and school climate. S.E.R.V.E stands for: Start Intentionally Engage Relationally Respond with Empathy Values Practiced Consistently Exit Intentionally
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
A LOOK BACK In-person instruction began at Las Lomitas in September 2020. Some staff and families arrived nervous as we were one of the few schools to open full time in the Bay Area; could we expect students to faithfully wear their masks and keep their distance? How would we handle lunch on campus? Would we have COVIDcases and quarantine classes? What unexpected challenges would we encounter?
LLESD partnered with Stanford Healthcare to offer weekly COVID-19 testing for all staff. Nurse Julia DeSaram supervises a staff member selfadministering a nasal swab.
Months later, having faced these real life scenarios, we reflect on this time immensely grateful for the safe educational and social experiences we have provided our students, proud of how well our students have adapted to learning in the time of COVID-19, and appreciative of the dedication and efforts of our staff who worked overtime week after week to pull this off even during the most demanding and uncertain of times.
A LOOK AHEAD
LLESD will welcome more students back to in-person instruction this spring and extend the learning day for middle school students, who - due to the complex nature of older students enrolled in multiple classes - have participated in hybrid instruction. With the lifting of some public health restrictions for outdoor recreation, middle school students look forward to inperson PE and elementary school students are eager to explore new spaces for recess and participate in a newly launched COVID Safety Program which recognizes those who demonstrate outstanding safety behaviors while playing at recess. Spring on campus is showing a hopeful vision for the future which excites us all. As this school year draws to a close we are shifting gears to summer and fall planning. Teachers will conduct student assessments to help identify students’ learning progress and provide the necessary academic support. Summer classes will be offered, as has been done in the past, and a new series of “kick off classes” will be launched in August in the weeks before school officially opens to help students transition to the next academic year. The health and wellness team has been meeting regularly in partnership with school leadership to address how multiple stakeholders will continue to support the mental, physical, and social-emotional health of our students and our staff.
Public health guidelines required LLESD to reimagine how to safely conduct classes, lunch ,and recess. Students sit on mats provided by the school to enjoy a meal 6 feet apart.
With the majority of our staff vaccinated, local case rates declining, and the lifting of some public health restrictions we look hopefully to the fall. Thank you to families, students, staff, and our community partners such as the Sequoia Healthcare District who have made this year possible.
HSI NEWSLETTER SRPING 2021
The Other Side It is hard to believe that it has been a year since the pandemic began but the sun is beginning to shine. With vaccines becoming widely available to everyone, case numbers going down, and schools reopening, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This last year has been tragic on so many levels: Pandemic, loss of life, economic
Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.
disadvantages, students not in school, political unrest, and racial disparities. Anyone of these could and have been life changing for many of us. So much of this year has brought so much to the surface that my life, and many of our lives are forever changed going forward. It has become overwhelmingly clear this year that academics alone will not prepare our students to be successful in the future. Knowing how to recognize and manage our feelings are key skills that will prepare us to lead healthy, happy, successful lives, personally and professionally. As I look back over the year, I continue to be amazed with
Aristotle
all that has been accomplished during these paralyzing times in the MPCSD:
Back to School – The entire school district
Pandemic Response – The immediate work of the District
banded together and at a staggering speed
Wide COVID-19 Task Force set in motion the purchase of safety
developed a robust plan of coming back to
equipment, the needed upgrades to ensure safety for students
school as soon as possible. By October 2020, we
and staff, and detailed procedures that followed the guidelines
were one of the first school districts back
of the county health department. The ongoing work of our
teaching our students in person in some form.
nursing and custodial staff has b1een critical to our success.
Thank you to our amazing teaching and support
Fact: The MPCSD COVID numbers were consistently low
staff that took a chance and supported the
throughout the year. We even had a 7-week streak without a
process.
case.
Equity – The district had already been working towards making
Social-Emotional Learning – During the
critical changes to address equity and unconscious bias but due
month of February 2021, 20+ staff from 5
to the uprising of events in the spring of 2020, the District
schools engaged in an online training to learn
leadership knew changes needed to happen sooner and with a
how to bring the RULER Approach to the
louder voice. This began with the Parent Speaker Series that
schools. The focus is not to just bring another
touched on needed uncomfortable conversations; the
program to the school but to build a common
development of an Anti-Racism Committee that is actively
language across all schools that is built into
making changes to the professional development for staff,
what we do every day. Recognizing our
changes for a more inclusive curriculum, and making sure
emotions and knowing how to be our best self
diverse hiring practices are given intentional focus. Two of our
inspires us, gives us hope, builds compassion,
PD days this year already started the work on equity grading
and motivates us in what we do every day.
and Diversity.
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
Grant Partners Through the financial support of Sequoia Healthcare District, we have been able to access many of our grant partners even in the pandemic. A big Thank You goes out to their partnership. As we look forward, we are excited to continue those partnerships and get back to those in person experiences of our other partners (Jasper Ridge and Project Cornerstone). Kognito - Our middle school staff was able to
Digital Well-Being Task Force - Being part of this
access an online training through Kognito to
grass roots group has shown that when a community
support their understanding of what a trauma
comes together, we can solve problems. Thank you to
informed classroom looks like, and to be able to
the group leaders who maintained the energy and
recognize signs of suicide in students. This
made everything happen: Sequoia Union High School
simulated program was interactive and provided
District, Kaiser, and Common Sense Media. I can’t wait
staff with different scenarios where they could
for next year when we can really build on the ideas of
practice. Given this past year, this was an invaluable
our youth in navigating this new digital world.
kognito.com
training that supported staff in supporting students.
Circle Up - More than ever, the conversations round Care Solace - Thank you to the Sequoia Healthcare
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, and INCLUSION need to be raised
District, the San Mateo County Office of Education,
with a louder voice. MPCSD is so excited about our
and the Peninsula Healthcare District for bringing
work with Circle Up that we want to build upon our
Care Solace to all 23 districts in the county.
relationship for the future.
Removing the barriers of connecting families with
Recognizing our own biases and how
local mental health related programs and
it impacts others is the most
counseling services has been valuable to so many of
important SEL work we can do as we
our families.
circleuped.org
build relationships with everyone.
Chris Arrington is the Wellness Coordinator/Mental Health Lead for the MPCSD. He has worked over 30years as a school psychologist and spent the last 18 years in Menlo Park. You can reach him at carrington@mpcsd.org.
rulerapproach.org
Parent Green Folder/Community Resources
mpaef.org
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021 This year, PVSD is partnering with a program called Care Solace for mental health supports for our PV families and
our PV staff. This partnership with Care Solace is being funded by the Sequoia Healthcare District and is part of our Wellness Grant. We want to continue to foster a culture that promotes the health, safety, and well-being of students, parents and staff.
How to Access School district families and staff may access Care Solace services in two ways:
1. Call (888) 515-0595 to speak with someone from your Concierge team. Representatives are standing by to take your call or email 24/7.
Care Solace is an online resource with a live 24/7
programs in minutes.
2. Visit the custom district link: www.caresolace.com/pvsd. Answer ten easy questions to receive an extensive list of referrals to applicable care providers. Care Solace takes into account all types of private insurance including Medi-Cal, Medicaid, and Medicare and those that have no insurance. The platform also filters by age, gender, zip code and special request.
Health Education Update at Corte Madera:
California Healthy Kids Survey:
concierge meant to assist individuals in finding local mental health related programs and counseling services. Care Solace is a tool for school staff and families to connect with community-based mental healthcare resources and providers. Their proprietary care navigation system taps into a vast database of mental healthcare resources to find carefully vetted local therapists and
Every 2 years, CMS administers
At Corte Madera School (CMS), our middle school science teacher, Teresa Richard,
the California Healthy Kids
continues to teach an 8th grade
Survey (CHKS) to our students
Sexuality Education program using
which is a survey sponsored by
the Advocates for Youth Program. The students learn
the California Department of Education. This survey
about gender identity, reproduction basics, understanding
gathers information from students about school
sexual abuse/ assault and making SMART choices.
connectedness, physical activity/nutrition,
In addition, our 7th and 8th grade
alcohol/tobacco/drug use.
students are instructed in
This year, our 5th and 7th graders completed this
Tobacco and Substance Abuse
survey. Because of our strong commitment to our
Prevention using the Stanford Tobacco
Health and Drug Prevention Education, this year in 7th
Toolkit and Project Alert. The focus is on
grade: 98% of our students responded that they had
e-vape and general tobacco use along
never used marijuana (smoke, vape, eat, etc.), 100% of
with alcohol and drug prevention.
our students had not used inhalants, 100% had not
Students understand the consequences
smoked a cigarette, and 96% had not used vape
of cigarette, vaping, marijuana and
products. In 5th grade,100% of our students had
alcohol use and explore the social
reported they had never smoked a cigarette or used a
pressures around these substances. They practice
vape product. For more information on our CHKS,
resistance skills and techniques and understand the
please visit our district website to see the entire 2020-
benefits of not using drugs.
2021 report.
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
Care Solace Brings Extra Mental Health Support to San Carlos Thanks to the Sequoia Healthcare District and the San Mateo County Office of Education, all San Carlos families can take a shortcut to find quality mental health care in our area. WHAT: Care Solace is a mental health
coordination service. WHY: Often it is difficult to navigate the mental
health services to find providers who can meet your needs. This service makes those phone calls and emails on your behalf so you can access the care you need more quickly and effectively. HOW: Care Solace serves the role of navigating
How it works: They generate a short list of providers who have been vetted and then the individual can book the appointment on their own. Our school counselors, psychologists, and mental health associates have all been trained to access care on behalf of a student through the Care Solace self-serving tool dashboard. They would use this service for situations that aren't educationally related, or when the school-based resources SCSD has are not suited to the need. Jennifer Smith in HR is trained to help staff access the service, but staff can access services confidentially. (There is no staff dashboard). The service is completely HIPAA and FERPA compliant and Care Solace does not have any financial relationship with any providers.
the sometimes complicated world of mental health care. They operate similar to the way a
HOW MUCH: San Carlos School District doesn't pay
concierge at a hotel will book a reservation for
anything for this service as it is part of our grant with
you, except in this realm, they find you mental
Sequoia Healthcare District. Individuals pay for the actual
health providers that fit the mental health topic
mental health appointments using their own insurance,
you are trying to address, your financial/ insurance
including Medicaid/Medi-Cal.
situation, primary language providers, and other special considerations.
During the intake process with a Care Concierge, if it is determined that the family does not have insurance, Care
WHO: Access to Care Solace is available to our
entire student population, staff, as well as their families. They are contracted to support all 23 school districts in San Mateo County thanks to funding from Sequoia Healthcare District, Peninsula Healthcare District, and the SMCOE (who manages the contract).
Solace finds sliding-scale providers. Contact Care Solace 24/7 888-515-0595 caresolace.com/scsd to start an anonymous search Please note: Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider. In the event of a life threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255.
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
Outdoor Learning for Health & Happiness Now, more than ever, the San Carlos School District (SCSD) appreciates and understands the positive impact that nature and simple daily outdoor experiences have on health and human development. Moments of quiet contemplation while reading a good book in the open air are somehow more transformative. Sitting under a shade tree, or on a beach towel in the grass makes a class discussion feel special and connected. The bridge to creativity and imagination is shorter when the senses are inspired with fresh air and a wooden bench or a stump stool. We are fortunate to say that the pandemic has created an incredible opportunity to make outdoor learning more frequent, which means our students and faculty feel
Thanks to the partnerships with our Parent Teacher
the mental, physical and emotional boost of
Associations and Each Green Corner, all of our SCSD
outdoor learning.nd other special considerations.
schools have a variety of outdoor spaces to enjoy. Now those school gardens, reading patios, wild zones and
Ours is a school district that has long taken the
shaded nature areas have been further enhanced to
responsibility of environmental adaptation and
provide safer learning spaces while also helping to
sustainability seriously. All of our Facilities Master
alleviate food insecurity. Each Green Corner volunteers
Plans involve reducing blacktop surfacing and
were able to use the growing spaces on our campuses
increasing permeable surfaces that both prevent
to harvest over 1,200 pounds of food that was donated
water pollution and maximize the capture of our
to local nonprofits in this year. They also installed
precious water resources through biodynamic
mobile white boards and flexible seating to make it
swales, rain gardens and rain barrels. So far, we have
possible for our educators to present material that
been able to replace at least 100 square meters of
would otherwise be challenging in a remote or indoor
space at each school site with either a garden, a
environment. We are proud of the fact that these
“wild zone”, and/or outdoor learning spaces. These
investments of past years have boosted our ability to
efforts gained recognition through the prestigious
transition more classrooms outdoors now that it has
Green Ribbon Schools Gold Award in 2018, and
become imperative for the health and wellbeing of our
recently the City and County Association of
students and staff due to the pandemic. We are
Governments selected SCSD to be the recipient of a
utilizing all of the solar shade structures on our
$97,000 grant that will fund full concept design
campuses for either outdoor classrooms or COVID
plans for climate resiliency for at least three of our
testing spaces. We have purchased large tents to
campuses.
enhance shade for our outdoor classrooms.
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021 Students and families are not only learning outdoors, they are learning about the outdoors. Thanks to all of the support of the San Mateo County Office of Education’s Environmental Literacy Initiative, many of our teachers have created their own Project Based Learning units integrating Next Generation Science Standards and the California Blueprint for Environmental Literacy to create meaningful opportunities for engagement and activism.
Right before the pandemic, student leadership groups at both of our middle schools enacted a ban on single use water bottles. Tierra Linda Middle School students and staff built a large rain garden as a demonstration site for rain water conservation and the beauty of native plants. This winter, students continued their enthusiasm for sustainability and environmental education independently through Rights Of Passage Experiences (ROPEs) projects that have long been a tradition for our fourth, sixth, and eighth grade students. This year those projects included everything from making windmills, reporting on climate change, gardening, raising bees, gathering trash from the ocean, restoring deer habitats, and conserving water. While none of us would have ever imagined the transformative effects of the Pandemic, we are proud to say that our focus on outdoor learning and environmental sustainability have made adapting to these trying times more rewarding. We appreciate all of the support of the community and especially that from the SMCOE who has built such a wonderful pedagogical foundation for our faculty to approach education with a solution-oriented mindset.
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
Care solace - New resource in RCSD! Adding to the health and safety toolkit of the Redwood City School District (RCSD) community, a new platform is now available to staff, students, and parents connecting them to mental healthcare resources
Care Solace is offered at no cost to students, families, and staff during off-school hours. Care Solace is funded through the school district’s partnership with the Sequoia Healthcare District (SHD).
and providers. The Care Solace platform is a live 24/7 concierge meant to assist the RCSD community in finding local mental health related programs and counseling services both quickly and confidentially. The web-based platform provides guidance through processes related to insurance, provider availability, wait times and scheduling. The online platform asks
“We are proud to foster a culture that promotes the health, safety, and well-being of students, families, and staff. This partnership is part of the effort to continuously support this commitment.”
simple questions which help generate a list of resources matching needs of the user. Schools are still able to access school-based counseling for students during school hours. RCSD staff, families, and members of their household can call (888) 5150595 to speak with someone who can assist with resources, or visit www.caresolace.com/redwoodcsd
Celebrate School Nurse Day - May 12, 2021
RCSD Director of Health and Wellness Andrea Garen
Parent Education Forums
Happy School Nurse Day to the RCSD
In the past school year, we have continued our partnership
School Nurses! Thank you for your
with the Parent Venture and Sequoia Healthcare District by
commitment and dedication to our
presenting a number of parent education events via Zoom.
students and families!
Several of the events were presented entirely in Spanish, which was a new addition to this year’s program. Our parent
In RCSD, school nurses do the essential work of ensuring
education topics this year covered topics such as effective
that students are safe, healthy and ready to learn. While
discipline for parents, mental health and even vaccination
they may provide bandaids for scrapes on the playground
safety. If you missed these wonderful live RCSD events, you
they also serve the pivotal role of bridging health care and
can still view the video recordings linked below:
education that is critical to student achievement. School nurses serve as an essential health hub for students,
RCSD Parent Education Events - English with Spanish Translation
ensuring that students are ready for learning by managing
#Pandemic Parenting: Helping Kids Thrive During Distance
complex chronic conditions; collecting public health
Learning
documents; promoting healthy behaviors; handling medical
Courageous Conversations About Race and Racism
emergencies… and now, by assisting schools in navigating the needs of staff and students at school during the COVID19 pandemic.
The Power of Belief: Promoting Equity for All Students How to Have a Better Relationship with Your Child or Teen
RCSD Parent Forums - Spanish
It’s so important that you don’t go unrecognized. We know
Proteja a Su Familia: Todo lo Que Necesita Saber Sobre la Vacuna
that you are devoted to helping every child all day every
COVID-19
day. We are so grateful for your calm and reassuring presence on our campuses! Thank you again for all you do!
Cinco Principios Para Criar Hijos Efectivos Cómo Ayudar a Que Usted y Su Hijo Administren los Videojuegos
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
Care solace - ¡La nueva herramienta en RCSD! Además del conjunto de herramientas de salud y seguridad disponibles para la comunidad del Distrito Escolar de Redwood City (RCSD), ahora hay un nuevo portal para el personal, los estudiantes y las familias, que puede ayudarles a conectar con
Care Solace es una herramienta adicional disponible para los estudiantes, las familias y el personal fuera del horario escolar. Care Solace se financia a través de la asociación del distrito escolar con el Distrito Sequoia para el Cuidado de la Salud.
profesionales de atención a la salud mental. El portal Care Solace está abierto las 24 horas del día, los 7 días a la semana. Sirve para ayudar a la comunidad RCSD a encontrar qué programas o servicios de consejería y terapia hay su localidad. La atención es rápida y confidencial. El portal está en una página web y orienta para saber más acerca de la cobertura del seguro médico, profesionales disponibles, tiempo de espera y programas que puedan servir para cada caso particular. En las escuelas también hay consejería para los estudiantes durante el tiempo de clases.
“Tenemos el orgullo de fomentar una cultura que promueve la salud, la seguridad y el bienestar de los estudiantes, de las familias y del personal. Y con esta alianza seguimos apoyando ese compromiso."
El portal no debe usarse para casos de emergencia. Sin embargo, está disponible para cualquier otro caso relacionado con salud mental. No tiene costo para el usuario y es opcional. Care Solace pide nombres, ni dirección, ni número de teléfono o fecha de nacimiento, solamente hace preguntas sencillas para poder crear una lista con recursos sugeridos según las necesidades de la persona que consulta. El personal de RCSD, las familias y los miembros de su hogar pueden llamar al (888) 5150595 para hablar con alguien que pueda ayudar con los recursos, o visitar
Andrea Garen, la Directora de Salud y Bienestar de RCSD
www.caresolace.com/redwoodcsd.
12 de mayo de 2021, Día de la Enfermera Escolar
Foros de educación para padres
¡Feliz día a todas las enfermeras
En el último año escolar, nos hemos aliado con una
escolares en RCSD! ¡Gracias por su
organización llamada The Parent Venture y hemos estado
compromiso y dedicación a nuestros
haciendo una serie de eventos de Escuela para Padres en
estudiantes y familias!
Zoom. Varios de los eventos han sido completamente en español, que es una de las novedades de este año. Cubrimos
En RCSD, las enfermeras escolares hacen el trabajo esencial de
temas como la disciplina efectiva, la salud mental e incluso
garantizar que los estudiantes estén a salvo, sanos y listos para
hablamos de las vacunas. Si no tuvo oportunidad de ver estos
aprender. A veces ponen las curitas para alguien que se raspó en
maravillosos eventos en vivo, aquí están los videos.
el patio de recreo, pero también combinan la atención médica con la educación. Esto es fundamental para el aprovechamiento de los estudiantes. Son como un centro de salud dentro de la escuela: se aseguran que los estudiantes puedan aprender y están pendientes de las enfermedades crónicas complejas, recopilan la documentación de salud pública, promueven buenos hábitos, manejan todas las emergencias médicas y ahora, además, ayudan al personal y a los estudiantes al control de la pandemia de COVID-19. Nos importa mucho celebrar y reconocer su labor en este día. Porque se dedican a ayudar a los niños todo el tiempo, sin cesar. Les agradecemos su calma y cómo ayudan a tranquilizar cuando a alguien le duele algo. ¡Gracias, de nuevo, por todo lo que hacen!
Videos en inglés con traducción en español
#SerPadresDuranteLaPandemia y el Éxito en los Niños durante el Aprendizaje a Distancia Diálogos Valientes Acerca de Raza y Racismo El poder de Creer: Promoviendo la Equidad en Todos los Estudiantes Cómo Tener una Mejor Relación con su Niño o Adolescente
Videos en Español Proteja a Su Familia: Todo lo Que Necesita Saber Sobre la Vacuna COVID-19 Cinco Principios Para Criar Hijos Efectivos Cómo Ayudar a Que Usted y Su Hijo Administren los Videojuegos
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021 To say that adapting and surviving the pandemic and refining our Covid-19 response defined this spring semester is an understatement. While we continue to grow our foundational work Covid-19 response
(see below), 90% of the focus has been planning, discussing, implementing, addressing issues, following protocols and creating instructions in response to the pandemic.
Our Foundational work comprises of supporting the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model: Multi-tiered Systems of Support - defining & refining Social Emotional Learning - from Exploring to Task Force Mental Health support systems - all virtual individual/group support, data Tobacco, Alcohol, Other Drugs prevention education & interventions Sexual Health Education - creative adaptations for remote learning Parent Education Series - from theatres to video library Digital Wellbeing - became even more relevant
Our wellness work is characterized by its breadth and depth. We have an intergrated ecosystem of mental health, counseling, SEL, family/community engagement to address the needs of the school community. Our mental health support specialists anticipated and recognized early on the increased
The testing team is all smiles behind their masks as they welcome students and staff back to campus.
needs of the community. In response, the district has embraced Care Solace and Atlas Mental Health pilots.
To ensure staff wellness and safety when we went back
Our SEL Task Force and Mental Health Action Team has been busy providing support to students as well
in person, we have been busy coordinating the following:
as staff. We also collaborated with Stanford & Child
Securing and monitoring PPE
Mind Institute to bring more parent workshops.
Updating school safety plans
Complementing these new partners is our
Implementing Student & Staff Daily Health checks
longstanding partnership with the Parent
Staff & Student Covid-19 testing
Education Series, which increased events to add
Symptom & Positive Case response
requested/needed topics, library.
Contact Tracing & Reporting
SUHSD would like to thank our partners, especially Sequoia Healthcare District for providing extra Covid funding on top of their annual Healthy School Initiative (HSI) dollars and HSI grants.
For more information, contact Javier Gutierrez, Health & Wellness Coordinator: jgutierrez@seq.org
IES BOLETIN INFORMATIVO PRIMAVERA 2021 Este semestre de primavera se ha centrado en adaptar y garantizar que nuestra respuesta a Covid-19 siga las directrices de salud y satisfaga las necesidades de nuestra comunidad escolar. Mientras seguimos creciendo nuestro trabajo fundacional (ver más abajo), el 90% de nuestro esfuerzo ha sido Respuesta a COVID-19
diseñar, planificar, implementar y comunicar protocolos y programas para un regreso seguro al campus con los apoyos necesarios. ¡Nuestros equipos de salud y bienestar han respondido como verdaderos héroes!
Nuestro trabajo fundacional consiste en apoyar el modelo Escuela Completa, Comunidad Completa, Niño Completo:
Sistemas de soporte en varios niveles - definición y refinamiento Aprendizaje emocional social - desde la exploración hasta el grupo de trabajo Sistemas de apoyo a la salud mental - opciones en línea y en persona, socios valiosos Educación preventiva e intervención de Tabaco, Alcohol, Otras drogas Educación para la Salud Sexual - adaptaciones creativas para el aprendizaje remoto La Serie de Educación para Padres - prósperos eventos virtuales, sólida videoteca Bienestar Digital - cada vez más relevante & proporcionando grandes recursos Nuestro trabajo de bienestar se caracteriza por su amplitud y profundidad. Tenemos un ecosistema integrado de salud mental, consejería, compromiso
El equipo de pruebas Covid-19 de SUHSD y los estudiantes de enfermería de CSM son sonrisas detrás de sus cubrebocas mientras dan la bienvenida a los estudiantes y al personal de vuelta al campus.
familiar y comunitario, y sólidas asociaciones para abordar las necesidades de la comunidad escolar. Reconociendo el aumento de las necesidades de nuestros estudiantes, personal y familias, SUHSD adoptó Care Solace y Atlas Mental Health, y colaboró con Stanford para proporcionar un panel de expertos para
Para garantizar el bienestar y la seguridad del personal durante la
nuestro personal.
transición de vuelta a la instrucción en persona, hemos estado
Nuestro Grupo de Trabajo de SEL y nuestro Equipo de
ocupados coordinando lo siguiente:
Acción de Salud Mental han estado evaluando y
Asegurando y monitoreando el PPE
planeando más apoyos para estudiantes y personal.
Actualizando los planes de seguridad escolar y de atletismo
SUHSD colaboró con Stanford & Child Mind Institute
Implementando la verificación diaria de salud del estudiante y el
para traer más talleres. Junto con estos socios recientes,
personal
nuestra asociación de larga data sigue comprometida
Coordinando pruebas de Covid-19 para el personal y los
con nuestros estudiantes, y la Serie de Educación para
estudiantes
Padres aumentó los eventos para responder a las
Respondiendo a los síntomas y casos positivos
necesidades identificadas de las familias.
Seguimiento de contactos y informes
SUHSD desea agradecer al Distrito Sanitario Sequoia por proporcionar apoyos y fondos adicionales de Covid19 por encima de su financiación anual de Iniciativa Escuelas Sanas (IES) y subvenciones IES; todos los socios de SUHSD proporcionan un enorme apoyo a nuestras escuelas!
Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto con Javier Gutiérrez, Coordinador de Bienestar: jgutierrez@seq.org
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
DEI Year in Review Woodside Inclusion and Diversity Council (WIDC) was
Additionally, last summer we launched a Professional
created 4 years ago with the goal to recognize the
Learning Community (PLC)- Pathways to Racial Equity
importance of diversity within our curriculum and the
and Social Justice. This PLC was created with the
community. WIDC strives to foster an inclusive school
intention of offering a space for Woodside School staff
community that promotes the values of equality, cultural responsiveness, social justice, and empathy. WIDC strives to guarantee that every child feels included, safe, and has a sense of belonging no matter what their race, gender, sexual orientation, SES, primary language, and ability is. WIDC Council believes that diversity is an asset and a strength, and we are committed to continue developing a school environment that is physically, emotionally,
members to process thoughts and engage in discussions around equity and social justice, on a global level, a community level, and a personal level. The intention is to share literature, ideas, and feelings together as a group, and to engage in collective processing of events and reflection. More specifically, this PLC uses the lens of white supremacy culture to evaluate our own school
mentally, and psychologically safe for all students.
community and to try to affect change on a small scale
In an ongoing effort to engage students in becoming
community.
active, involved citizens, our teachers use the curriculum to promote conversations about race, social justice, and the
before bringing ideas to our staff and the larger
In the continued efforts to make
opportunity to address the need for systemic change. We
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
value the partnership of all community members in the
work a priority, Woodside School
effort to teach our students about equality, fairness, and
District hired a consultant, Clarke
the value of all human lives. Over the years, Woodside has
Weatherspoon. Clarke has 20 years
worked to make sure that people of color are well-
of experience as an independent
represented in resources found around school, in materials
school educator, DEI practitioner, educator, and
from textbooks to library books; etc. Yet, there is more to
consultant. Clarke previously served as the Dean of Equity
do.
and Inclusion at the Urban School of San Francisco.
Our staff has engaged in professional development
Clarke’s consultancy services focused on analyzing and
around culturally responsive teaching methods and recognizing implicit bias. This year, our staff has gone through a second year of professional development series with CircleUp Education, a non-profit focused on educating groups about diversity, equity, inclusion, and
addressing the formal and informal structures that limit the participation and development of all community members and the ongoing strategic and operational support to the Woodside School District to ensure quality diversity, equity, and inclusion programming for all
restorative practices. This school year PD goal was to
community members.
uncover the barriers that prevent conversations about
Woodside School plans to continue this work of guiding
racism, explore implicit and explicit racism through the
our students’ staff, parents, and community stakeholders
axis of discrimination, learn key language and definitions
in discussions that are often difficult but vital to
on how to talk to youth and adults about racism, and
understand the complexity and layers of the tragic
learn how unintentional racism seeps into workplaces
events, learn from the lessons of history, and help
and schools using code words, descriptions, and labels.
educate our students to become global citizens.
This DEI update is brought to you by Student Services Director Dr. Marta Batlle. For more information, visit: www.woodsideschool.us/District/Diversity-Inclusion--Equity/
HSI NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
Reflections in Counseling During COVID This year, everyone had to be creative to teach in new
I have also been in different classrooms. Recess
ways and build relationships with our students. As the
has become very challenging for our students. As
school counselor, I tried to adapt new ways that could
a preventative measure, I taught lessons
be helpful to both students and staff.
surrounding restorative practices and conflict
My role looked very different from being in person to being online. We started the year with distance learning. I still had my individual check-ins with students and co-taught advisory with our Upper School Music Teacher. But thinking about this year, I felt we needed to do more for mental health support. I
resolution. The lesson focused on community building by introducing communication skills to have constructive conversations about selfawareness, empathy, listening skills, building trust with each other, personal responsibility and conflict resolution skills.
began creating weekly mindfulness videos called,
As the year has gone on, there have been other
Mindful Moments with Ms. Lam. These videos had
opportunities for me to engage with other grades
brief introductions about the week, a different
and classrooms. There was also an opportunity for
mindfulness technique each week, explanations about
me to help debrief feelings for a class that was
each technique, and sometimes a guest appearance
exposed to COVID over Zoom. I used a Padlet, to
from my dog.
help students write down how they felt and
My hope was to provide an additional resource for teachers to use in the classroom and for themselves. I have received positive responses overall! Recently, one of my students used a technique at home with his
identify how others are also feeling similarly. In another grade, we made calming glitter jars in preparation for testing week and any time they want to relax.
younger sister! I’ve been really happy to hear that it’s
Overall, this year has been a time to be creative,
been helpful in the classroom and outside the
try new things, and learn a number of new skills to
classroom.
help support the students. It’s been challenging but I feel like I have grown a lot since COVID. I'm
Advisory is our social emotional learning class for 6th,
truly so thankful for such wonderful students and
7th, and 8th graders. During the first quarter, all
staff to work with.
students were able to have Advisory as we covered different topics such as distance learning tips/tricks, managing stress, and self-care. Unfortunately, due to the COVID restrictions as students came back to campus, students did not have advisory all year. Each subsequent quarter, the grade would change. However, this was helpful as we were able to cater each lesson to the grade level as we addressed different topics as they came up in each grade level.
I’m Mena Lam, the School Counselor at Woodside Elementary School District. This is my 3rd year at Woodside and as challenging as it has been, it is still very fulfilling.
MENSAJE DEL DISTRITO SANITARIO SEQUOIA Estimadas familias de la Iniciativa Escuelas Sanas(IES),
Por favor comuníquese con su proveedor de cuidado de salud, médico, clínica o enfermera de la escuela, si
Usar cubrebocas y distanciamiento social se ha
tiene preguntas sobre la seguridad de la vacuna.
convertido en la norma social y han hecho que nuestras comunidades sean más seguras, saludables y
Me gustaría dar un agradecimiento especial al equipo
más afinadas para proteger a los más vulnerables. Las
de bienestar de IES por sus esfuerzos coordinados en
vacunas se han vuelto cada vez más disponibles, pero
el proceso de reapertura de sus respectivos distritos.
todavía están fuera del alcance de demasiados
Estoy extremadamente orgullosa de nuestros
miembros de nuestra comunidad – un problema de
esfuerzos de colaboración para llevar iniciativas
equidad en la salud que el Distrito Sanitario Sequoia
oportunas y relevantes, programación, recursos y
está abordando actualmente. Además, hay algunos
apoyo financiero a la comunidad escolar.
que están preocupados por la seguridad de las vacunas, y SHD es una de las muchas organizaciones de salud que buscan educar a la población sobre la necesidad de ser vacunados con la seguridad de que
Karen E. Li, MD Directora de Salud Escolar Iniciativa Escuelas Sanas
esto no sólo los protegerá, sino también a sus seres queridos.
Recursos para Padres
Información adicional para ayudar a proteger a su familia y comunidad
Seguridad de la Vacuna Vacuna PSA
Stanford Kit de Herramientas de Prevención: Cannabis
CircleUp Capacitaciones en Escuelas
Seminario Web de Adicciones Dr. Anna Lembke
Foro Comunitario en Español sobre la Seguridad de la Vacuna
La Serie de Educación para Padres
Videoteca
Diversidad, Equidad y Inclusión (DEI)
El Consumo de Cannabis y el Cerebro Joven - Dr. Tauheed Zaman
Actualizaciones de la Vacuna contra el COVID-19 San Mateo
NUEVOS foros para Padres: Español y Inglés
Prevención del uso de Sustancias
Carpetas Verdes para Padres Ver Algo Diga Algo Has Algo
Español y Inglés
El Seminario Web de Padres Antirracista Conversaciones Valientes sobre la Raza y el Racismo Sistémico Diversidad en Vendajes Curativos
NUEVO Recurso en línea de Salud Mental 24/7 para todos los estudiantes, personal escolar y familias del condado
Care Solace