HSI NEWSLETTER FALL 2020
Looking to the Future The year 2020 has brought on numerous challenges for us not only in our local communities but also across the nation. Now is not only the time where we need to make space for others in need to heal but
“By acknowledging the value of emotions in our everyday effectiveness, RULER aims to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into the immune system of each school, informing how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn, and families support students.�
also begin to see this as a time to seriously begin the
To better understand Social
conversations on change. As the MPCSD started the
Emotional Learning, the first step
20/21 school year, the focus has been on self-care,
is to actually be able to
reimagining schools, continuing to plan on restarting
recognize emotions. MPCSD is
school in whatever form presented itself, and
diving deeper into the work of
embracing the challenges of this past year by
Dr. Marc Brackett from the Yale
intentionally addressing areas such as equity, race,
Center for Emotional
social emotional learning in schools, and improved teacher support. Through our MPCSD Parent Speaker Series, we began this year's series with author and local scholar Julie Lythcott-Haims, on Talking to Your Kids about Race and Racism.
Intelligence, and particularly the RULER method. Dr. Brackett was part of the parent speaker series in October, will be speaking with all staff in November, and will be working with school teams at the beginning of 2021.
Student Well-Being
This conversation continues in January 2021 as
Even during distant learning, our schools have
MPCSD will be hosting a Three Part Conversation on
continued to implement the life skills programs in
Segregation and its Legacy on Education Around
the elementary schools by pushing out lessons from
Menlo Park. The MPCSD has also put together an
the classrooms, joining classes on Zoom, and even
Anti-Racism committee of parents, staff, and
making videos for teachers to share with students. In
community members who are engaged in
the middle school, the schedule was designed with a
developing stronger Parent and Community
Launch period at the beginning of the day where
Education, looking into enhancing Teacher/Staff
students would connect with an adult, see friends,
Professional Development opportunities, exploring
discuss an important life topic, or just engage in a
curriculum, and evaluating current recruitment,
little school spirit (e.g., crazy hat day, eat breakfast
hiring, and retention practices.
together, or do a little show and tell).
rulerapproach.org
mpcsdspeakerseries.com
Parent Green Folder/Community Resources
HSI NEWSLETTER FALL 2020
Pandemic Restart
What’s to Come
By November 2, 2020, all of MPCSD will be back in
Kognito
school in a hybrid A/B week model. The decision to
MPCSD staff will be completing a series of Kognito
come back for students was easy but the intensive
trainings to further build an understanding of what a
planning began the day schools went to distant
trauma informed classroom looks like.
learning back in March. These required weekly meetings throughout the spring, summer, and into
CircleUp Education
the fall, consisting of both staff and administration
We are excited to be partnering with CircleUp
planning groups to think outside the box on how to
Education to continue the support of staff with
redo schools, board members working with the
deeper insights of implicit bias, microaggressions,
community, and a District wide task force on
and equity in our schools.
COVID-19 updates. Digital Well-Being
Through the support of the Sequoia Union High School District, Kaiser, and Common Sense Media, the DWB group is working on improving the online needs of our youth today with not only access but digital citizenship. All of this would not have been possible without the support of a
All of this was to plan for over 30,000 PPE’s,
total community working together to
improved HVAC systems and HEPA filter purifiers
support each other in Menlo Park:
for all classroom and offices, cleaning supplies, and
Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation,
weekly testing that began in late September for
Sequoia Healthcare District, and the larger MPCSD
staff. A big thank you goes out to our lead nurse
community.
Lianne Jemelian and the nursing staff for
coordinating all our PPE’s, custodial staff who set up and are sanitizing classrooms many times a day, teaching staff who served on committees, and district leadership.
kognito.com
circleuped.org
MPCSD welcomes Chris Arrington to his new role as Wellness Coordinator/Mental Health Lead for the district. You may know Chris from his former role as the school psychologist at Hillview. You can reach him at carrington@mpcsd.org.
mpaef.org
MESSAGE FROM SEQUOIA HEALTHCARE DISTRICT Dear Healthy Schools Initiative families,
Estimadas familias de la iniciativa de escuelas saludable,
The Covid-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges
La pandemia de Covid-19 ha presentado numerosos desafíos
for our communities, but one that stands out is the toll it has
para nuestras comunidades, pero uno que se destaca es el
taken on the mental health of our children and teens, as well
impacto que ha tenido en la salud mental de nuestros niños y
as parents and educators. To address this challenge, Sequoia
adolescentes, así como la los padres y educadores. Para
Healthcare District has ramped up support for our local school
abordar este desafío, Sequoia Healthcare District ha
districts in a variety of ways. We continue to fund student mental health services, parent/community education, and teacher/staff professional development such as Kognito's suicide prevention and trauma trainings and CircleUp Education's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) trainings. We also hosted an inaugural Town Hall meeting on September 17, which focused on “Mental Health Support in Schools During Covid-19”. Our team of health and wellness leads from our eight partner school districts joined a panel discussion along with mental health experts from four local mental health non-profit organizations. I invite you to view the recorded Town Hall. We have a superb team of health and wellness leads (below), and I encourage you to read about the important and innovative work taking place in your child’s school district
aumentado el apoyo a nuestros distritos escolares locales en una variedad de formas. Continuamos financiando servicios de salud mental para estudiantes, educación para padres/la comunidad, y desarrollo profesional para maestros/el personal, como las capacitaciones de prevención del suicidio y trauma de Kognito y las capitaciones de diversidad, equidad e inclusión (DEI, por sus siglas en ingles) de CircleUp Education. También organizamos una reunión inaugural de la alcaldía el 17 de septiembre, que se enfocó en “apoyo de salud mental en las escuelas durante Covid-19”. Nuestro equipo de líderes de salud y bienestar de nuestros ocho distritos escolares socios se unieron a un panel de discusión junto con expertos en salud mental de cuatro organizaciones de salud mental sin fines de lucro. Los invito a ver la reunión de la alcaldía grabada.
during this uncertain time. The pandemic has highlighted how critical it is to be familiar with the services and support
Tenemos un excelente equipo de líderes de salud y bienestar
offered by your child's school and the community at large.
(a continuación), y los animo a que lean sobre el trabajo
Please refer to our Parent Green Folder for local mental health
importante e innovador llevándose a cabo en el distrito
resources.
escolar de su hijo(a) durante este tiempo incierto. La pandemia ha destacado lo importante que es estar
Covid-19 has impacted all of our lives but we're hoping that by
familiarizado con estos servicios y apoyo ofrecidos por la
coming together as a community we can overcome some of
escuela de su hijo(a) y la comunidad en general. Por favor de
the difficulties faced by many families. Try staying healthy by
referirse a nuestra Capeta Verde para Padres para obtener
wearing masks, physically distancing, washing hands, and
recursos de salud mental.
getting your flu shots. San Mateo County also offers free Covid testing. We wish you the best as we navigate the 2020-21
Covid-19 ha impactado todas nuestras vidas, pero esperamos
school year together!
que al unirnos como comunidad podamos superar algunas de
Yours truly,
las dificultades que enfrentan muchas familias. Intente mantenerse saludable al usar mascarillas, distanciamiento físico, lavándose la manos, y vacunándosecontra la gripe. El
Karen E. Li, MD Director of School Health Healthy Schools Initiative
condado de San Mateo también ofreces pruebas de Covid gratuitas. ¡Les deseamos lo mejor mientras navegamos juntos el año escolar 2020-21!
HSI WELLNESS TEAM HSI NEWSLETTER FALL 2020
Abbe Keane
Andrea Garen
Chris Arrington
Javier Gutierrez
Woodside Elementary SD
Redwood City SD
Menlo Park City SD
Sequoia Union HSD
Abbe has worked for nearly
Prior to her role as Director of
Chris has worked in education
Javier coordinates health
thirty years as a public health
Health and Wellness in RCSD,
for 36-years and the last 30-
services, education programs,
nurse as well as a school nurse
Ms. Garen spent ten years
years as a school psychologist.
and proactive support for the
and consultant to numerous
leading marketing and health
He has been in MPCSD for 18-
students of SUHSD. As a former
schools along the Peninsula.
education projects for the
years, providing social-
teacher and administrator, this
Abbe has been involved in
Dairy Council of California. She emotional trainings for parents
position continues Javier’s
teaching science and health
is passionate about promoting
and staff. He has also been
efforts to develop the whole
education classes and currently
physical, mental and social
part of growing the district-
student while positively
works as the school nurse for
well-being for all RCSD
wide PBIS programs and
impacting academic success.
both the Woodside and Portola
students and their families and providing intensive
Valley districts.
supporting good health in our
behavioral/emotional support
communities.
for special needs students.
Kristen Sevillia
Kristen Shima
Mindy Hill
Nell Curran
Belmont-Redwood Shores SD Portola Valley SD
San Carlos SD
Las Lomitas Elementary SD
Prior to her current role, Kristen Kristen has worked for over 20
Mindy began working at SCSD
Nell is the Wellness
served as Asst. Principal at
years in education as a teacher,
as Wellness Director in
Coordinator for Las Lomitas
Sandpiper School, having also
counselor and an administrator.
December, 2013. Prior to
Elementary School District
spent the previous 4 years as a
She has been a member of
becoming Wellness Director,
where she supports the needs
coordinator in Curriculum and
PVSD for 15 years and is
Mindy pursued a career as a K-
of staff, students, and families
Instruction at the San Mateo
currently the principal of Corte
8 educator and administrator.
while also building a culture of
County Office of Ed. Kristen is
Madera School. In addition, she
She also had the great pleasure
wellness across the district. Nell
devoted to supporting
leads the Wellness Team where
of working as an Associate
brings 15 years of public health
programs aimed at the whole
she helps to coordinate social
Director for a nonprofit
education experience from her
child.
emotional learning, health
organization that works to
time at the Stanford School of
education, Positive Intervention
prevent drug and alcohol
Medicine.
and Support and staff/ student
abuse using a community-
wellness activities.
coalition model.