This past year, we’ve made important strides in expanding access to student behavioral health services and building the systems needed to sustain them long term. Districts across the county are reaching key milestones in operational readiness, with SLCUSD now actively implementing billing processes and others advancing implementation plans to support future service delivery. At the
Sinsheimer Elementary kicked off the school year on a high note, celebrating a major achievement: receiving Gold recognition from The Social Emotional Learning Alliance of California (SEL4CA). Specifically honored for the area of Schoolwide Practices, this award highlights Sinsheimer’s success in weaving Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into every fact of campus life – from the
In this month’s spotlight, we celebrate a teacher at Los Ranchos, Christine Lintner. By integrating Restorative Practices with the Leader in Me framework, she has cultivated a classroom where emotional intelligence is just as important as academics. Below, she shares how she builds a foundation of kindness and leadership every single day: “In my classroom,
We recently visited San Luis Obispo High School to observe a groundbreaking and impactful approach students are taking to better utilize the school’s Wellness Center. At the heart of SLO High’s new approach is a peer support program led not by adults, but by students themselves. They call themselves Wellness Center Aides, seniors nominated by
The holiday season is often seen as a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness—but for many families, this time of year also brings a mix of complex emotions. Loneliness, worry, grief, and stress can surface unexpectedly, and it’s important to remember: it’s okay not to be okay. In recognition of SAMHSA’s National Grief Awareness Week,
SLOCOE is partnering with the National Council on Mental Wellbeing to bring Youth Mental Health First Aid to our teachers, administrators, parents, coaches, and support staff. This early intervention public education program teaches adults how to recognize the signs and symptoms that suggest a potential mental health challenge, how to listen non judgmentally and give
We’re excited to spotlight CenCal Health, one of SLOCOE’s key partners in supporting the health and well-being of our students and families. CenCal Health is the local nonprofit, community-based health plan that administers Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) for all eligible residents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Everyone who qualifies for Medi-Cal in
Supporting adult social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential to creating healthy, connected school communities. To help leaders and educators strengthen this work, CASEL offers practical, easy-to-use resources that guide professional learning, collaboration, and everyday SEL modeling. Here are three worth exploring. #1 LEARN: Create a Professional Learning Plan – A simple tool to organize a plan
We’re excited to share some great news about our expanding efforts to support student well-being. This year marks our second year of implementing Bounce Back and CBITS (Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools) with an increasing number of practitioners joining to bring these evidence-based programs to more students across the county. We’re also thrilled
