Focusing on reintegration in the 2021-22 school year to ensure the success of students and staff upon return to full in-person instruction, the Pasadena United School District (PUSD), a Mental Health Service Professional grantee in California, developed an enhanced version of their curriculum that included visual arts, mental health, and academics. As part of this initiative, PUSD created virtual wellness centers for staff and students that includes a “PUSD Wellness Studio”, a Padlet for staff use only. As Dr. Julianne Reynoso, Assistant Superintendent, Student Wellness and Support Services says, “We wanted to have a plethora of resources housed in one location to support our staff who then support and serve our students.” The studio is constantly updated with resources pertinent to staff and they feature different items to be highlighted.
To develop the studio, staff across all departments came together during June and July of 2021 to ensure that the resources posted met the criteria and needs of every staff member serving students. Dr. Reynoso continues to meet monthly with teachers, administrators, and coaches to “get the pulse” of how staff are feeling about the site, assess current needs, and determine the resources to be added to keep it up to date. As Dr. Reynoso points out, “[the studio] must be set up for staff success and their perspective is vital.”
A snapshot of the PUSD Wellness Studio:
