Rio Vista Elementary School

Over the past few years, PSUSD has been prioritizing social emotional learning for all students including elementary-aged students. Over the past few years, PSUSD has placed a school counselor at each of their elementary schools to ensure that all students are receiving the necessary support and knowledge about their social emotional needs.

I started counseling at Rio Vista in 2018. I was beginning to create a social emotional learning plan for students and the school when the pandemic unfortunately stopped what I had started. When the students and staff were able to return full-time, I realized there was an intense need for a space for all students to come where they felt safe and could be supported throughout their day. My classroom became a calming safe area where students who needed support could come and take a “break”. My classroom was busy everyday with students who needed this “break” for a few minutes before returning to class and being able to get back to their learning.

After speaking with the teachers and staff about the success of my calming room, many teachers asked how they could create a similar environment within their classrooms. A few teachers created their own calming spaces last year. The result was that their students remained within their classrooms more of the school day.

At Rio Vista, our focus is on our students’ academic success as well as their social emotional well-being. The Classroom Calming Areas Grant will now allow students who may need a few minutes to self-regulate themselves or work on a peaceful restorative resolution with another peer in a safe space within their classrooms to use. This calming space will support students by giving them tools to use to support their own understanding of how to cope when situations arise throughout their day. The knowledge of having this safe calming area within the classroom will allow students to return to their learning and engagement in the classroom activity more quickly ensuring their continued academic success as well as their own self-awareness of the importance of their social emotional needs.

Contact: Gavin Sadow, Rio Vista School Counselor

Email: gsadow@psusd.us

Phone: (760)416-0032

Our priority is to provide effective on site counseling services to our students. The focus of this grant is to expand the counseling program services we currently have at Rio Vista Elementary School. Our students have greatly benefited emotionally from this service. With this grant, students who are receiving counseling will receive more individualized weekly counseling and help. The counseling services provided by this grant will help give students foundational strategies to have a successful and happy life.

The money granted to Rio Vista Elementary will be used to support the mental health services of the school. The grant funds will now double the current services from Jewish Family Services of one day a week to two days a week. There were 35 students referred for mental health services during the 2017-2018 school year. With the assistance of ACF we will be able to service 10% of the students in need compared to 5%.

Students serviced are those who need help with poor impulse control, self-regulation, anger management and need for conflict resolution. Often times students need support because they are not feeling successful at school, or have worries about problems at home.

In order for students to grow and find success in school they must be mindful of how to deal with stress and have strategies that help them cope. Increased mental health services are crucial for our student's success. We are very thankful for the support of ACF to add additional time with JFS.