HSI NEWSLETTER FALL 2020
Woodside Elementary School District has a strong
The SEL committee with the guidance of
commitment to address SEL as a school wide
administration is focusing on teacher support and
intervention and has continued to help teachers
mental health. The SEL Committee will have
train and develop their SEL curriculum in the
themes each quarter. First quarter began the year
classroom through the administration and SEL
with the theme of community building with a lens
committee. Our school wide SEL curriculum has
of diversity, equity and inclusion – providing a
included: introducing therapeutic tools, helping
lesson and ideas to establish a community within
students learn ways to build positive social skills,
their virtual classrooms. The SEL committee sent
and to learn ways to deal with problems and
out a survey to hear directly from teachers their
conflicts constructively.
needs and the needs of their students. The goal of this quarter is to ensure the voices of our staff are heard and we can provide for them adequately. Second quarter’s theme will be gratitude. The SEL committee will continue to build community and self-care through checking in on staff and some
The year 2020 has been a very trying time for
activities like yoga on the field after school or a
students, families, and our staff. We recognize
staff picnic in the garden.
mental health should be a priority and needs to be addressed. Our district is understanding that
Mena Lam, the School
mental health needs are more than they have ever
Counselor sends weekly
been. The WESD Re-Opening Task Force
mindfulness videos to staff.
addressed the mental health needs by establishing
These videos have a variety of
breaking down to 3 different groups and a tier
different techniques staff can
system helping identify students’ needs are and
use for themselves. Ms. Lam
what the support systems may look like.
also creates a separate student video so teachers
In September, Sequoia Healthcare District
are able to use the mindfulness videos. These
sponsored a town hall focusing on mental health,
videos are also seen on the Counselor’s Corner bi-
our rep Nurse Abbe Keane went to share what
weekly on our Wildcats Weekly newsletter to
we're doing for mental health and to learn how
families. For parents and teachers, Ms. Lam has
other districts are handling their mental health
virtual office hours weekly to sign up for
needs.
consultation.
Click HERE to view this week's Wildcat Weekly . Spanish version HERE.
commongroundspeakerseries.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.