▲ A counseling room awaits students at South San Antonio ISD’s CARE Zone.
SOUTH SAN ANTONIO ISD
CARE Zone brings wraparound support to San Antonio’s south side by Dacia Rivers
South San Antonio ISD County: Bexar ESC region: 20 Superintendent: Dr. Marc Puig 2020 enrollment: 8,527
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school district is often the backbone of its community, not only providing a basic education to students, but supporting families whenever possible. In South San Antonio ISD, they’ve taken that role to new heights. In 2019, a group of high school students in the district addressed the school board, voicing their concerns about mental wellness not just in their neighborhood, but across the city and beyond. The district jumped to action, and two years later, the CARE Zone is up and running, providing mental health and wellness services to students, families and faculty in the district. Housed in a building on the Athens Elementary School campus, the CARE Zone is home to numerous mini programs — a one-stop shop for
Number of schools: 16 support. Full-time counselors have offices in the building — cozy rooms with comfortable seating, calming lighting and various age-appropriate toys and comfort items. Through a partnership with the San Antonio Mobile Wellness Collaborative, these counselors are available free of charge to families and staff in the district. On-campus counselors can refer students to CARE Zone counselors. SSAISD staff can refer themselves to the counselors through a confidential system that ensures their doing so is private. Mobile support is also available, and counselors will travel to meet students and their families at individual campuses when necessary. For many folks living in South San Antonio, this is BRAGGING RIGHTS 2021-2022 Texas School Business
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